CLEARRLY Recovering - Blog #5

I have people ask me this question all the time:

   1. “Adam, how can you find humor in something as serious as addiction?” 

I get that question asked of me almost as much as I get asked, 

  1. “Sir, will you stop making a scene in our parking lot?” 

  2. Or, “Can you please stop screaming? There is a wedding going on...” 

  3. Occasionally, I get, “Is there a reason you are camping on my front lawn in January?” 

  4. And the most often asked, “Do you realize what you’re doing is offensive to everyone except the French?”

I honestly don’t have answers to any of those questions except the first one, “How can I find humor in addiction?” That answer is very simple…

I can’t.

I find humor in recovery.

I grew up in a funny house. My mother was hilarious. ”I’d rather laugh than eat,” she would say. She had a funny comment for everything, and nothing was too sacred when it came to having its absurdity humorously pointed out. 

As my mom got older and began to suffer from memory loss, she was still funny. We began to play the game “What’s in the Walker?” She had one of the walkers with a fold-up seat in front of her, and she would hide her treasures there. The combination of treasures could be quite alarming. One time, I opened up the lid and found a bra and two straws. I simply said, “Whatever party you’re planning with this, please lose my invitation.”

She laughed at that and went along like it was all intentional for that exact moment of humor.

Those exact moments of humor are what I freely traded for my addiction. 

I missed out on dance recitals, voice recitals, musicals, concerts, games, family reunions, academic milestones for my children, and drank myself through the death of both of my parents.

I mourned all of those losses for a season, and for everything, there is a season.

To everything, there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

"2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;"

             -Ecclesiastes 3: 1-3

I find love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in recovery. 

This is my time and my family‘s time for joy and laughter. My wife and I have dedicated our lives to helping people in the pit, just like we were. Part of that Help is showing them the Joy on the other side. I never apologize for laughing; however, I have had to apologize for camping on somebody’s front lawn. 

So go make a scene in a parking lot, laugh loud enough for someone to hear you, and wear the goofy hat and the funny shoes. Life is too serious, and addiction is deadly serious. But recovery is filled with joy!!

And remember,  I can affect my today, I can allow God to mold my tomorrow, but even Jesus doesn’t change the past.

Woods Chapel Church