If we can be honest with ourselves as a human race, we can probably admit that the inspiration to give back, volunteer, and serve others shouldn’t be a special occasion which arises during one holiday season a year. Thanksgiving is about abundance and the humbling existence of that abundance, necessitating our reflection on our personal lives in order to give thanks. All season long we are inundated with amazing opportunities to volunteer, donate food, donate clothing, give money, spend time, and show up for those who are less fortunate than we are in whatever way we can.
Showing up for others- whether they are less fortunate strangers in need or familiar friends and family- is something that men in recovery learn how to do. Addiction and alcoholism are largely self-centered problems. Men who are in active addiction aren’t necessarily selfish by nature or character. However, the nature of addiction and the character of addiction take priority in a man’s life. Biologically, physically, psychologically, and even philosophically, addiction becomes a centerpiece on the table of life, constantly begging for all of a man’s attention. When men are chemically dependent and sick due to drugs and alcohol they have the capacity only to show up for themselves, building a dangerous habit. Through recovery programs like the men’s programs here at Tree House in Orange County, men learn how to work together not as a team, but as brothers, and to show up for one another in a supportive, helpful way. During occasions like the holiday season, men get to put their newfound lifeskill of showing up for others to practice with their friends and family at home, as well as in outside volunteer opportunities.
Volunteering for those who are less fortunate is admirable, encouraged, and honorable without argument. Showing up at home, where there might be tension, expectations, history of trauma, and more, is a greater challenge. Putting aside differences, where it is healthy to do so, and being present at home during a holiday is an incredible demonstration of a man’s recovery. Recovery lives most loudly in the simple things: offering to help cook, offering to do the dishes, clearing the table without being asked, showing up on time, bringing something for the table, engaging with family, and most importantly, staying sober. Every day in a man’s sobriety, he is invited to show up for himself and for others by making the simple choice to refuse to pick up another drink or drug. We do our best to show up, be a stand-up gentlemen of sobriety, and demonstrate our recovery in every way that we can. Thanksgiving is the perfect time to show up in a way which inherently gives thanks for the life we’ve been given in sobriety: we stay sober, one more day, and enjoy the gift of our lives with the people who love us.
From the mountains to the coastline, the possibilities of living a life without limits are endless. At Tree House Recovery in Orange County, California, we’re helping men recover their lives from addiction through innovative treatment designed to transform their lives inside and out. For information, call to speak with one of our graduates: (855) 202-2138
