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Day after day I would spend my time trying to escape from the realities of life through my addiction to opiates. The everyday activities of people living in sobriety had no appeal to me at all, especially camping and hiking. To me it was just looking at small rocks and big rocks, a little bit of water and a lot of water. I had no appreciation for nature. Funny I ended up in a drug and alcohol treatment center whose whole emphasis is on outdoor activities.
The first trip I went on was in Verde Valley and I remember pulling into the campsite and seeing nothing but a fire-pit. I began preparing for an incredible long 3 days. We started the day out by setting up camp and making some food and then the afternoon we were off to go hiking. It was a 5 mile stretch that head through canyons and long some water. At first I was like shoot, 5 miles!! But as we kept going, I found myself amazed at different rock formations and plant life, especially since I’m from the east coast where usually all I see are huge buildings, not really nature. The second thing I realized was I didn’t have to be tripping on acid or shrooms to appreciate nature.
The people in treatment I was with also make for a great time, just talking about the past, recovery, and just relaxing were enough to keep a smile on my face. After completing the hike I felt confident I’d be able to do whatever they threw my way. Later that night we went to a meeting which was cool to see how the 12 step meeting was anywhere and everywhere and then headed back to camp to hang out by the bonfire.
The next day we loaded up the car and went to our next hiking spot, and I was thinking it was gonna be another walk in the park. Instead, I got out of the car and was looking at a mountain and all I could say was O man! We started our climb up the mountain and I hated life but kept on moving thanks to my new friends motivating me, saying I could do it. By the time I reached the top of the mountain, every muscle was aching, but standing at the top and looking at the view below made me feel so accomplished. Not believing I could do anything with my life, and climbing the mountain when I was certain I wouldn’t be able to, really turned my whole perspective on sobriety around. I started to think that if I set my mind to something and had the support of my friends, I could achieve anything. This sounds a lot like the message 12 steps spreads throughout the program.
Although I started the hiking trip dreading the thought of it, I came back with a new mentality of sobriety, closer relationship with those around me, and a greater sense of self worth.