Ben Franklin once said "Many people die at twenty five and aren't buried until they are seventy five." I think this is probably true. I also think the "dead" can rise again.

There are many causes of death. There is fear, laziness, envy, greed, addiction, selfishness, despair, ignorance, duty, guilt and probably others. These are the things that come to mind right now. Character defects are a great destroyer of life.

I spent many years as a walking dead man, and the character defects listed combined to be my undoing. During these years I did not know who I was, where I was going, or why I was going. Somewhere along the way the passion for life was hijacked, and I was left with going thru the motions, clouded by emotions and no sense of direction and purpose. These years are blurred and in black and white in my mind, with occasional bursts of color and clarity. Somehow, religion took the place of spirituality; duty took the place of passion; envy and greed stole prosperity, selfishness and guilt took away my joy. Alcohol and drugs were the medicine used to try to regain life. But there is no life in addiction. God gave me the great gift of desperation which took me to a place where I could let go and let Him lift me up and bring restoration and rebirth.

"How few there are who have courage enough to own their faults, and resolution enough to mend them." Ben Franklin.

In this one statement by Mr. Franklin, he summarizes steps 4 thru 8 of the program of recovery in Alcoholics Anonymous.

Even before Mr. Franklin and A.A. was the sermon on the mount spoken by Jesus.

I was resurrected from the "dead" 1,419 days ago. Today I am a victor, not a victim. Today I live in joy a life of passion and hope. Today I prosper. Today I love. Today I dream. Today I ride. Today I give thanks. Today I pray. Today I serve. Today life is in vivid, vibrant color. Today the shadows and darkness flee the Light that lives in me.

Today I truly Live.

God is always good. That makes me glad.

Keep the shiny side up.