So I think i'm going to take a little break from blogging. I have enjoyed hearing your thoughts and learning from your perspectives. I have even emailed a few of you and you've all given me great advice.
My recovery goes on. I continue with my group. I cracked last Tuesday. Wasn't doing all the dailies the beginning of that week. My emotions were off the day before. Lust hit and I just didn't think or react fast enough. It was all over in about 15 minutes. I was completely dazed. But I contacted people from my support group, called my sponsor, set up an appointment with the bishop, and let my girlfriend know. I felt bad but I didn't feel destroyed. I have learned that the lies, the secrecy are the worst part. Yes, it would be nice to be 100% perfectly sober for the next 5 years, but I can only handle this one day at a time. It is frustratingly slow. My girlfriend didn't guilt me, didn't hate me. She doesn't like it one bit but overall she is very proud of me. That makes me want to get back on my feet and keep going even better.
Yesterday I was reading a new blog and I realized that I often let the things i read affect me too much. I feel like unless i'm 100% perfect like i mentioned, I'm going to do nothing but destroy the wife, she'll always be mad at me, and life will be miserable. I feel like my future marriage will be just like my parents, which was absolutely horrible when i was a teenager. I read things and say to myself, "horrible!! I am never getting married!! Stupid terrible addiction!! I'll recover alone!!"
But it occured to me, and talking to my girl, that it doesn't have to be that way. I did tell her that if she intends on being in my life she is going to have to accept the fact that i may have to be gone once or twice a week for a meeting. I may have to do life differently. We will have to be cautious on everything we watch. We will have to have a lot of rules in place. It could very well be a rough ride. I wrote all this in a long email, but she doesn't have issues with that. She isn't looking at the short term but more on the long term which gives me alot of confidence.
I have noticed that alot of the posts lately have been more and more positive, more strength, a lot of discussion on boundaries, alot of hope, and alot of the WofPA healing/detaching and not all about the husband's addiction. I guess in a strange and difficult way, the addiction of someone else is causing you to work the atonement on your own level. That is what the 12 steps have been for me. "the Atonement for Dummies"
With that said, I'll have to check in every now and then, but I am going to pursue recovery and my relationship on what works for me and the girl. If I get down dire straits, I guarantee i'll be back on the blog getting it all out.
Day 7 today. One day at a time. I don't fear life or loss or recovery or even marriage anymore. I am hopeful for life....which i haven't felt in a long time.
Thanks for sharing. I hope that I haven't contributed in any way to your idea that unless you live 100% you will have a horrible marriage. I was just emailing the other day with a fellow WoPA friend, and I'll just quote a bit of what I said here, because I want you to know that your experiences will be a blessing in your life, and in the life of your girlfriend, and in the life of your future wife. (Sorry, it's long.)
ReplyDelete"[This] just validates for me the idea that this experience is just a catalyst for us to discover that there is a better way to live. I feel this way about my 4th step inventory. I never would have done that if I wasn't involved with the 12-step program, and obviously I would never have learned about the program if I wasn't married to an addict. It's like, before all this- my life was mediocre. It wasn't awful, but it wasn't great. I thought I was happy because I didn't know any different. But now, now that I've tasted of the bitter I am learning that there is something so much sweeter than I ever imagined.
I NEVER would have gone to a therapist, and yet some of my best visits with my counselor have been, like you said, about nothing to do with pornography. I have learned a few things about myself that are helping me have greater potential for happiness, TRUE joy. It still seems out of reach sometimes, but I know it's there and it's so liberating.
I think if this had never happened to me, if Pete had never ordered that stupid movie in his hotel room years ago, I think I would be living a mediocre life still. I would probably feel mostly happy, not knowing what was holding me back from greater happiness. And I suppose that would have been okay. I certainly would have been spared a tremendous amount of grief. But I would have been denied some life-changing opportunities to learn more about myself, my husband, humanity, and God."
Best of luck to you! We love you!
I have always felt this way too. It would seem really "bad" to say that I am grateful for this addiction, but it's not the addiction that taught me what humility is, what accepting/tolerating others is (how can I after what I have done??), learning to surrender, learning to rely on others, learning to discuss hard things with people who love me, learning that I am strong when I admit that I am weak. Tough lessons indeed. Thank goodness God gives us tough trials or we would have no need for him! we are too proud. Too tough. I have observed that most of the addicts that roll into meetings are successful men. smart men. I have noticed that alot of the WoPA i have met are actually very attractice/very intelligent women. Ah, these addictions keep us on our toes. Keep us close to God. Good luck to you and Pete. make sure he keeps writing. We need to get our stories out better! The men need to be taught the truth of what is going on!!
Delete*didn't finish my train of thought....addiction didn't teach me all those things....recovery taught me all those things. Recovery the correct way....not my way!
DeleteI'm so happy to hear how you handled things when you acted out -- that is so impressive and such a sign of real recovery! Honesty is the antithesis for addiction!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on Day 7 -- I'm so proud of you!
As you can tell, I've been totally MIA from the blogs lately, but I came on to say Hi. I know this relapse must have been very difficult for you since you've been working so hard, but you already know that you're on the right path. Keep at it. We're all rooting for you.
ReplyDeleteKeep on keeping on. Like Mac said, we're all rooting for you.
ReplyDelete