Dancing With Emeralds

Dancing With Emeralds

I have been sharing my journey, from my heart, on this blog. Last month I shared that I had 6 months continuous sobriety for the first time in years. (Don’t worry – I’m still sober!).

I love to celebrate things and a few months back, a friend who went through treatment with me came to visit. We were shopping and I decided I wanted to buy something special to celebrate when I had 6 months of sobriety. My real birthday is in May and I have always wanted an emerald ring, my birthstone.  So we scoured the Northern Oregon Coast for the perfect ring.  And we finally found it. It is one of those things, that when I saw it, I knew it was mine. Of course, when I saw the price, I knew it probably wasn’t ever going to BE mine.

But to make this long story shorter, the wonderful gentlemen who owns the store found out it was to celebrate my sobriety and he gave it to me for his family discount price – in fact he gave me over 70% off the original price. He has a son in recovery, and he understands how hard this is. He let me put it on lay away and I have been paying on it faithfully every month. I wanted to get it out on my six month date, which would have been July 20, 2011, but I didn’t quite have enough to pay it off without borrowing, and I am trying not to borrow money anymore. So I waited until I could pay cash.

And so today, on my lunch break, I drove to downtown Astoria, and picked up my very beautiful celebration ring.  I have been showing it off to everyone at work AND telling them what it is for. (Hiding recovery is not healthy – so I want everyone to know.) And everyone has loved the ring, but more importantly, they have been so supportive of my recovery journey.

I spent some time looking up the meaning of emeralds and here is what I learned. Emeralds stand for patience, understanding, wisdom, growth and foresight; and they are a symbol of rebirth. I certainly need all of those to continue on this road to recovery I’m traveling.

                                                                     I also found a verse that says in part:

You were in . . . the garden of God;
every precious stone adorned you:
   carnelian and emerald.
   Your settings and mountings were made of gold;
   On the day you were created they were prepared for you.

                                                                                          Ezekiel 28:13

So today, my dear friends, I invite you to join me in this celebration that my Abba-Father has had in mind for me from the day I was created. I love being sober. And I love the Great Giver of gifts. And I love knowing He is celebrating with me. I can just see Jesus dancing!

Thanks for listening. Caro