This past year has been challenging for everyone, including me. When the Covid lockdown started, I was amazingly comfortable with the isolation and ignoring my CoDA recovery work. Life was fine and I now had another free weeknight.

Then a member of our group decided to head up an online meeting for our group and reached out to several of us to assist in the process. I was enjoying the online meetings, even with our smaller group and with the new people drifting in and out. I could play games on my phone during the shares and even enjoy snacks sometimes. Yes, I did contribute when I noticed I used my program experience to handle a life situation. But I wasn’t growing or being challenged by my higher power. I had made the decision to stop CoDA altogether when our in-person meetings resumed, and the attendance picked up.

To say the least, my commitment to our group had been less than stellar. But then one newbie stuck with it. I saw her determination to work the program, but she had no sponsor. So, with a nudge from God, I reached out to her to offer to be a sponsor again. This one step to do service work to help another was a disguise—it was a step to help myself. I have found a renewed commitment by using the 30 Questions outline with my sponsee. This prompted a great review of my answers from my first time working through the questions with my sponsor. I noticed some good insight to my challenges then. I also realized my growth and the areas still in need of work.

I can say without a doubt that my CoDA program journey has had quite a few peaks and valleys in the last 6 years. But there have been some great surprises and realization of new hope in recovery through CoDA. Whether it be your first month of your first year or my last month of my sixth year. God has blessed me immensely over the years. I look with renewed expectations towards this next year.

Joyce M – 6/30/21