I Can't. He Can.

Someone, maybe even several someones, told me that the streamlined version of the first 3 steps of the recovery program ETA are this: I can't. He can. I Think I'll Let Him. At first, as with most of these little gems offered with recovery, I found them to be very helpful, witty and clever. In certain situations they can be very irritating and cause my Serenity Account to dwindle a bit. Which is exactly what happened.

Believe it or not, I'm getting older as time goes by. I'm probably not as old as you are, so getting older doesn't bug me all that much. What really grates is that I can't do as much as I once could. What happened to those action packed days of yesteryear? (The ones where you were in a drunken stupor most of the time were action packed? Is the thought that comes to my head but I'm not talking about that right now!)

I'm okay with the wrinkles. I'm okay with the gray hair. I'm really okay with having grand kids. What I'm not okay with is having to 'rest' between activities. I'm also okay with swimsuits with those little skirts in front. They call them sarongs. I never did like bikini's, anyway.

Yesterday I made plans with a friend. We were going to go to an ETA meeting, briskly walk the track for exercise and then play cards, after which I had some shopping to do. We went to the meeting. We got our exercise and then Boom! I'm spent. I had to tell my friend that I couldn't go play cards because I had to go home and rest. Shopping was postponed until after my nap, too. I really don't like saying 'I have to hobble on home now because I'm plum tuckered out even though it isn't yet noon.' Seems I'm having to say it pretty often these days.

On my way home, I'm pouting about being denied a good card game. (Pouting is a youthful activity!) For some reason that shortcut of the first three steps in ETA comes to me. I can't. He can. So He's the one who got to go play cards. That is just sooooo not fair.

Have a good and sober day.