Keep it Simple

Early in FA, I frequently asked my sponsor if I could do something “different” with my food. I would ask if I could add this or that to my grain, or if it would be okay to mix stuff into my vegetables. Her answer was always, “Keep it simple. It’s best to keep it simple.”

So I strive to keep my food simple and, as with all things in Program, the lessons learned about food carry over into everyday life.

Just as I thank God for my healthy food and the gift of abstinence, I am thankful for the opportunity to live according to God’s will, not mine. When faced with a decision, I try to keep it simple. I weigh and measure my options. To help me understand my reactions and feelings, I reach out to those who know me best—God, my sponsor, and my fellows. Throughout the day, I thank God for helping me find a lost item, think more clearly, or speak more kindly.

But it is when life hands me a truly bothersome challenge that I sometimes forget my sponsor’s guidance to keep it simple. As an addict, I am a master at control. If it needs doing, I can make it happen. Just get out of my way and let me do it! I’m a good problem solver, and a management career taught me there are always multiple ways to reach a solution. The trick, though, is to find the best solution, and this is where I may need to apply the brakes and ask what is best for my physical, mental, and spiritual recovery.

My complicated solutions to problems often work, but they remind me of the adage about fitting a square peg into a round hole, which can be done, with a lot of whittling, manipulation, and even force. But recovery can’t be whittled, should never be manipulated, and control belongs to God, not me. Complicating any task puts me dangerously close to a slippery slope I don’t need to slide down. The simple solution is usually the cleanest, the one that supports, rather than disrupts, recovery. Going forward, I know it will serve me well to keep one thing in mind, whether I am prepping food, doing service, or searching for a solution to a tricky situation. If it’s complicated, it’s probably not abstinent. It’s best to keep it simple.