Chevra,
I just had an epic realization as I was preparing myself for this last Shabbos of the year.
As I stood in front of HKB"H last year on the Yom Ha'Din, I have no recollection of actually asking for the gift of sobriety this year. In fact, on the contrary - I kind of remember feeling hopelessly and helplessly doomed to die as an addict, only to face the revelation of my secrets to all at the end of my days. As painful and depressing as this thought was, it was never enough to get me into recovery, and I was tired of repeated failures to stop on my own without the 12 step program.
Now pause for a moment and think about what I just wrote. I wasn't even asking for recovery last year at this time. I was convinced that I had no way out.
As I prepared for this last Shabbos of the year, I felt full of life and full of emotions. I could feel this way in spite of the immense personal struggles I have been going through this week. It doesn't make any sense to me that this can even be possible.
My friends, the essence of my message is this - Yeshuas Hashem K'Heref Ayin. Hashem can bring about salvation in the blink of an eye. It makes no sense that such a thing can be possible, but at whatever time HKB"H decides to give us the gifts of "serenity to accept the things we cannot change and the courage to change the things we can", from that instant it can be a Techiyas Maysim for those of us have been the walking dead in our addiction.
If it can happen to me then it can happen to anyone, and if you ask me "how?" then you already know the answer!
The answer is H - O - W
May we all be zocheh to the Yeshuas Hashem this year!