I’ve always had a habit of doing things the hard way, especially when it comes to work. Maybe it’s because I was born on a Saturday, as the old rhyme goes: “Saturday’s child works hard for a living.” If only I’d waited until Sunday—I could’ve been “fair and wise.”
That said, I’ve been lucky in my work life. I’ve always managed to do well, and I actually find work to be the easy part of life. I remember a managing director once telling me that my value to the company was my determination. If I was given an impossible task, as long as I was interested, I wouldn’t stop until it was done. However, that persistence often stayed at work. In my personal life, I tended to give up too easily, making everything feel more difficult than it really was. Instead of facing challenges, I would run away, often straight into a bottle.
Since becoming sober, everything has changed. My work life is still the same—I love a challenge and tackle it head-on—but my personal life no longer overwhelms me. At first, I didn’t understand why, but after a lot of reflection, I’ve realised it’s because I’ve let go of my self-will and learned to live in the moment. Whether I’m spending time with family, paying bills, or helping in a family crisis, I focus completely on what’s in front of me. I now see that I have a new full-time job: being the best version of myself in every moment, 24/7, 365 days a year.
I also have another job now, one that came after completing the AA 12 steps with my sponsor. Just like me, my sponsor is a recovering alcoholic who once needed help, and he got it from his sponsor. This chain goes all the way back to the founder of AA and the first alcoholics who helped each other rebuild their lives.
Now, it’s my turn to pass on that message. When you hit rock bottom, you can recover, rediscover yourself, and rebuild your life—with the help of another recovering alcoholic. Will it be hard work? Yes. But how will it make me feel? Like I’ve found a job I’m truly meant to do. By helping others recover, I’ll not only be giving back the love and compassion I received, but I’ll also be helping myself stay sober. And that brings a deep sense of fulfilment.
A Hard-Working Life
I've always been one for the arduous task,
A Saturday's child, condemned to labour’s clasp.
Though luck has smiled on me in work's domain,
Persistence has been my guiding, constant strain.
Yet, in my personal life, I'd often yield,
And let life's challenges leave me to the field.
But sobriety has brought a newfound light,
A clarity that guides me day and night.
No longer do I flee from life's hard knocks,
I face them head-on, without fear or blocks.
A new full-time job, to be the best,
In every moment, put to the test.
And now, I've found a calling, deep and true,
To help others find their way, as I once knew.
To pass the torch, to share the guiding light,
And aid the fallen in their darkest night.
For in this service, I’ll find peace and grace,
A purpose that fulfils my heart's embrace.
