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Living the 12th Step

Here's an e-mail we received today from the webmaster of www.recoverythroughtorah.com who has recently signed up to our daily chizuk e-mails:

GYE Corp. Saturday, 31 December 2011

Hi to my Brothers and Sisters in Recovery,

My name is Yehuda Mintz, I am a brother in recovery. My sobriety date, b'shasdey Hashem, is September 10, 2000 - Yom Yom, 1 day at a time.

I am a newcomer to GUARD YOUR EYES. My heartfelt yasher koach.

I am writing to share some major 12 Step teachings that have been gifted to me.

1. I am a good person with a bad disease. For too long, I was told and taught that my addiction was an inyin of my yetzer harah. I now know that that is not so. I have come to learn that addiction is a disease, not unlike any other disease. I do not know why Hashem has inflicted this disease upon me. Shlomo HaMelech was unable to figure out the ways of Hashem; "why should the good seem to suffer and the bad seem to prosper". These are questions known only to Hashem. I do know however, that the disease of addiction can be treated; if not cured, by being faithful to the teachings of the 12 Steps of Alcholholics Anonymous.

Much as the diabetic can lead a productive life by being faithful to his/hers prescribed daily dose of insulin, so too, can an addict live a productive life by being faithful to the principles of the 12 Steps on a daily basis.

I don't believe Dovid HaMelech wrote the words "Zeh Hayom Asah Hashem Nagilah V'nismacha bo" for Rosh Chodesh or for the Yom Tovim; he wrote them as a way of life for each day-one day at a time.

2. I have come to understand that life is not "gor tsu gornisht", life is not "either or". Life is "both and". Life's cup is neither half full nor half empty, it is BOTH, Half empty and half full. This truth has enabled me to receive the ultimate gift of Hashem Menuchas- Hanefesh, what the program calls "serenity".

I have dedicated my life to living a 12th Step with the creation of my website, www.recoverythroughtorah.com.

May we all be zoycha to live our life in the "light".

Yehuda Mintz