We are living in troubled times. No matter how long or how strong we are in our recovery, our humanness makes us vulnerable to the pressures of life. In these times, we need each other more than ever.

Recovery means growth but every so often we plateau. We discover there are some important aspects of life that are more difficult to attain but how to get what we want takes work, patience, and our Higher Power.

Medical science has made great strides in the development of meds for drug and alcohol addiction. But will addicts see this as an easy fix to their disease? Recovery programs cannot take a back seat to meds for addictions.

Another year.... Thanks to all of you who have kept me trudging the road to happy destiny in 2012.

Our Higher Power, sponsor, and honesty are the main ingredients to a successful Step 5. We will never be perfect but we can begin to practice the principles that will give us peace and serenity.

Step Three is to make a very important decision that will change your life. Are you ready and can you really turn it over? This is not an easy Step to take and this article is only a small part of what this Step is all about.

All of us in recovery have had the experience of having a person we care about not be able to stay sober. This is a real letter to my friend. I hope he reads it. Please join me in praying for all of those out there who can't seem to find sobriety and the hope it offers.

You may believe in God but finding the Higher Power that works for your recovery may take time and even imagination.

As much as we fight it, human nature, jealousy and envy can make us forget what real gratitude is all about. Gratitude is not in what we say but in how we feel in our hearts and souls.

Step Four moves us into action. We finally begin to discover who we are and the many "whys" of our behavior. This is one of the few steps that is really all about YOU!