We are in essence a society within a society. We learn through the 12 step process to be responsible, productive members of society. The process of recovery allows us to practice within the safety of our recovery meetings and through service ,a new skill set that requires  patience, tolerence, compassion, and a host of other spiritual principals. Learning that my way is not the only way and that I can practice the art of listening is a very useful tool. We develope it first in meetings as we “listen” to others share. We also listen when we are in our group business meetings,area or regional service or one on one with someone at the coffee pot. These new skills follow us out to our jobs, with our families,and in interactions with those outside the fellowship. It allows us to be virtually undetectable among those not in recovery but respected for our honesty and integrity in situations that many not in recovery would handle quite differently. We bring to the world our experience , strength and hope in away that compliments society and enhances the world around us. We bring foregiveness to a world that is often unkind and love for all creation around us. Living a 12 step life  makes us aware of lifes small pleasures like a fallen leaf, a grasshopper in the sun, the full moon, a beautiful pond with its ripples or a snow-flake on a pane of glass. The things that we never noticed or took for granted when we were spiritually dead,now plays a major roll in our everyday lives.  Our gratitude speaks when we now care and share the 12 step way!

I am so grateful to be clean and serene today. It has been 7 years that I have chosen to present and accounted for during my 24 year old daughter’s and my 77 yr old fathers cancer. The 12 steps have given me such wonderful tools and spiritual principles to live by as I try to the”best of my ability” to be a support system for both. Patience ,when I am powerless over their pain, tolerance when they are angry,compassion when they just need to be listened to, perserverence when I must cancel my own activities and sit through another treatment or operation are just a few of the gifts of recovery that I have command of these days.Today ,I have faith that his will not mine will be done and whatever that is will be ok. I don’t have to be in charge , I can just accept the journey as it is and in it find strength and courage to trust in a  power greater than myself that I never have to use through it all. I have the support of those in the fellowhip when I cry and I have prayer and meditation to put me in “conscious contact” with my higher power. I just recieved a phone call a few minutes ago , from my daughter and she is having problems breathing tonight and is on her way back to the hospital. She is in another city about an hour away. I stopped writing and whispered a small prayer…. In the 3rd step I learned to ” let go and let God”. I know that I am powerless but I also know that HP is powerful, loving and caring. Thanks to recovery… today I can deal with family illness.Truly, this is their journey and they have doctors and medicine. It is my journey to be here and stand beside them. “God grant me the serenty to accept the things I cannot change, ( their cancer) the courage to change the things I can , (my fears) and the wisdom to know the difference.(HP is in charge not me) . What a gift it is to grow in recovery and to become productive and responsible today…. thanks for letting me blog  Etta S

Pasadena Recovery Center – takes center stage when National Drug Policy Chief Gil Kerlikowskemakes a visit, The visit to the Pasadena rehabilitation facility is part of a cross-country campaign.

The hope of such visits is to help strengthen the current anti-drug strategies that are currently being implemented nationwide in addition to bringing greater awareness as to the importance of such facilities in the fight against drug addiction.                                                                                         

Mother Teresa on drugs and war

While on this campaign Kerlikowske engaged in an on-line chat with Dr. Drew Pinsky(addiction specialist who host “Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew” on VH1)  concerning teen drug abuse…Kerlikowske not only attempts something new by using this tour as a more tactful platform for his anti -drug strategy, he also brings with him a new philosophy…calling for an end to the term  “War on Drugs”

” We can’t arrest our way out of the Situation.” 

Kerlikowske’s view  about the term ‘war on drugs’ happens to be in sync with “Mother Teresa” view on ‘Anti -War Rallys’ …”war will never bring peace – only peace brings peace” it’s no surprise when she said “never invite me to an anti-war rally, instead invite me to a peace rally.” The Philosphy is quite simple – what you put out in the world i.e ‘War on Drugs’ is precisely what you get…there is no resolution – just more war.

As an added benefit, Kerlikowske offers financials to support his claims against arresting addicts…”The United States, Drug and Alcohol treatment represent half the cost of incarcerating someone.” In short, Drug Rehabilitation makes both moral and financial sense.

The 1st annual Rally for Recovery took place this past weekend (September 12, 2009) in Downtown Miami and it wasn’t only the 1st Rally for the good people at InTheRooms.com but it proved to be the premier Recovery Month event for all of South Florida.

The 1st Annual Rally for Recovery, which featured great food and music including Eric Burdon and The Animals, had 1200 people participate in the 5k walk across the MacArthur Causeway and over 2000 people visited the rally’s festival.

Although the 1st annual Rally for Recovery just ended, sponsors and vendors who participated are excited to return and participate in the 2nd annual Rally for Recovery which is already in the works. For more information about the Rally for Recovery, visit www.RallyforRecovery.org or visit www.InTheRooms.com.

Although the rule within the fellowships is that people with less than one year in recovery shouldn’t date, they often do. However, Recoverydate.com is a site specifically designed with intention of providing effective dating in recovery by indexing recovery personals of members with years of recovery.

The idea is for singles that have been in recovery for a long-time, and are fully living the lifestyle, to meet similar people that can be effective at dating in recovery. Basically, they can log into Recoverydate.com, review recovery personals, respond to similar members, and being dating in recovery.

The great par is that, ideally, they will meet people with the same ideals/beliefs and recovery lifestyle, which will make compatibility an instant success and help create a wholesome, sober relationship for the years of recovery ahead.

Recoverydate.com is full launched, but relatively new. However, this is a good thing, as for a limited time Recoverydate.com is offering FREE memberships to new members. So, if it sounds like something you may be interested in, then take advantage and don’t wait.

This is your last chance to be part of the first annual In The Rooms “Rally for Recovery” in Miami, Florida. Everything is set and this weekend will be the start of what InTheRooms.com hopes will become a long lasting tradition in the South Florida recovery community.

Sign up for the 2009 Rally for Recovery Here and secure your spot in a walk across the MacArthur Causeway and join ITR afterwards for a festival full of great food, great music and lots of fun. This year’s festival will feature Eric Burdon and the Animals, Richie Supa and many more.

Haven’t checked out In The Rooms yet? What are you waiting for? InTheRooms.com is the fastest growing social networking website on the web. At ITR, you’ll find a friendly and supportive community of people in recovery – including friends and family of people in recovery.

The In The Rooms “Rally for Recovery” happens:
September 12, 2009 – 7 am – 4 pm
Bicentennial Park – Downtown Miami, Florida

While filming ‘The Soloist’ the Block buster real life story of a homeless music prodigy living on the streets of Los Angeles., Robert Downey jr recalls being approached by homless people who knew about the actor’s lifelong battle with drugs and addiction.

Downey joked saying  ”I was surprised that my street cred on Skid Row was pretty high.”  It never occured to me that people would be like ” Dude, I was in the County jail with You.”

Downey, opens up about his feelings and reservations about playing a role that hit so close to home -Being in this environment that is so reminiscent and symbolic of the darkest depths of drug abuse, really struch a cord. For the actor, ” it became this incredibly wonderful humbling and humiliating expreience”  a 3 month field trip to remind you where drug abuse can take you.

Many people you know have probably battled with the disease of addiction.  Most people don’t talk about it though, they keep it a secret because they are ashamed. They don’t want anyone to label them a criminal or derelict; it makes no sense for those who’ve overcome such insurmountable odds to keep it a secret because we as a community don’t understand the disease.

The In The Rooms Foundation is an organization whose purpose is to break the stigma of  drug addiction and alcoholism in society.  They believe that recovery is an asset, not a liability, whereas most of the world still has a negative view of the “addict”.  Do you know someone who turned their life around and become an acceptable, responsible, productive member of society? Have you been touched by this disease from either a family member or friend and don’t know that its possible for them to recover? The foundation’s goal is to make this message available to all those who are willing to receive it.

People in recovery are standing up and showing their face, and they need YOU to show your support as well!

The In The Rooms Foundation is hosting an event called The Rally For Recovery, a 5K walk, festival and concert with up to 5,000 people walking over the MacArthur causeway on Saturday, September 12, 2009.  All funds raised for the event are going to education and prevention campaigns across the local community.

We would like you to show your commitment to the recovery movement on September 12, and walk with us in Miami.  Registration for the walk is $9 and includes admission to the entire all-day event and an event T-Shirt, ending in the afternoon with a concert by Eric Burdon and The Animals. If you can’t attend, please make a donation to allow someone less fortunate to walk in your place.

Check out this link for more information about the InTheRooms.com Rally For Recovery: Official Rally For Recovery Website

The ‘Baby boomer’ generation florished in the 1960’s and spawned an unforgetable era defined by it’s appetite for sex, drugs, and all things rock n roll. Those days of free sex,love and great rock n Roll are long passed, the love child of fantasy and lengend, yet baby boomers are still keeping the hay day of drugs alive and kicking – scarffing down anything from ecstasy pills to snorting cocaine.

 According to Peter Delany, from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Baby Boomers are using/abusing drugs at a higher than normal rate – nearly double that of previous generations.