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Call me crazy, call me nuts, but I think that my Christmas shopping is finished until next year, which brings up a strange question:

If ‘gift-giving’ is such a good thing, that makes us feel good from both perspectives, why do we have a special time of the year in which to consolidate our love?

A good friend of mine was raised in the Jehovah’s Witnesses. He is no longer part of that circle but his take on Christmas (let alone T’giving, New Years, birthdays, etc…)is somewhat refreshing. You see, the JW do not celebrate holidays, or birthdays, or anything of that nature. The idea is that one should give gifts all year around and that the gift-giving is special, not the day or time of day. Now, this doesn’t mean that everytime your doorbell rings and it’s an earnest proselytizer you should receive a present, or that they are particularly generous with each other. They are just people, after all. But the idea of giving being more important than time of day is important. That’s what the spirit of Christmas, or of living, really is.

So I suppose that Christmas is our yearly reminder to put down the axe we’re grinding, swallow our arrogant pride, and reach out and help the next person, not asking for anything in return. The reward is the deed itself, as long as you keep it a secret and not brag. Try it. It’s harder than you think.

To Hwkcote: Yes, I am celebrating on Wednesday, December 28th, at 7:30PM, in the Village by the Lake. I hope to see you there. You have been a large part of my sobriety, both before and after I came into the rooms. Thank you.

More news on school…

I didn’t receive the grade I told you about (3.25).

I received a 3.65.

HA! I say, HA!

Johnnyboy

Today is my third anniversary. I actually have over 4 years sober from alcohol, but I did some other things, so I only have 3. Honesty is the best policy, etc…If you get a chance to hear my story, you can pick up some of the details.

It’s been an amazing year. My schoolwork has progressed from an idea of going back to school to a first semester ending yesterday with an A- GPA. I guess that is a 3.25. That’s amazing for someone like me, who rarely achieved anything over a C+. A B- was an occasion to celebrate!

I have 2 sponsees who are both very different and both doing well, as long as I let them do mostly what they want. As long as they want to stay sober, they will, with or without my help. I have learned to give them just enough rope to hang themselves and be there when they need me.

My relationship with my mother has grown in leaps and bounds. At one point I came home for security, now I stay home to be of help and comfort to one who needs me. This is an amends I could never have planned out. To be available at this time in my life to someone in a trying time in their life is truly a gift.

The sun is out and the temperature has cracked 5 degrees above zero. I have to go to my shrink this morning and then a last small round of Christmas shopping for my father, his wife, and my niece. I already have some stuff for her, but she is thirteen and needs some cool music for Christmas. I’m thinking Beck, Sinead, and Ani. I’ll ask at the store. It’s a hip store, so they’ll know.

I visit with my father next week in The Big City. He and his wife are in town for a few days so I’ll hop a southbound commuter for a couple of days. I haven’t seen him since before I was released from jail, so this will be an emotional time. I’d like to make my amends to him somehow. Maybe it’s already happening and I just can’t see.

So what’s next for Johnnyboy in his fourth year of sobriety? More school, certainly, and more travel. I’ve been thinking about another sorely neglected aspect of my life: dating.

We’ll see…They’ll have to be ‘Blog-compatible’…

Johnnyboy