Today was rainy and sunny, from moment to moment, prompting me to run out and purchase a new rain shell to wear as my current jacket is a little on the heavy side for most days of 5o’s and raining. It’s what I have been eyeing for some time, and it serves a practical purpose. And it was 50% off. Can’t beat that with a stick.

In my family, we had a lot of silly metaphorical phrases. Short-hand talk that everyone knew and used, but rarely was heard outside the family. My grandma was fond of saying about someone who had rushed off in a hurry, that they “took off like a ruptured duck”. I knew as a small child what she was referring to, because my grandpa kept a large number of rubber decoy ducks in their furnace room for hunting season, and so when you needed to get something out of that room, it always smelled like soft warm rubber. So I imagine it didn’t take much for the ducks to rupture and take off, kind of like a cartoon, though I doubt it was that entertaining. I have on occasion used the phrase though, and people will give me a look…you know that look, like you have broccoli growing out of your head. Meh, I don’t care, I think it’s funny.

It does bring me to our blog topic, which is recovery speak. Ever notice how when you get together with your recovery peeps that sometimes you will use a short-hand talk that will be readily recognizable by you and your crew, but to a new person or outsider, they will feel a bit mystified and possibly even put off by this “secret squirrel handshake” behavior? I have and continue to struggle with being very drawn to my peeps when I get to a meeting. I want love, affirmation and affiliation. I have to force myself to turn around and greet new people and remember that I was new once, too.

And it wasn’t easy at first to see everyone else having fun and basking in the warm glow of the fellowship furnace. It is very important that I make my connections and get poured into, but that I also leave room for those new folks too, because in a few months, they could be the ones that I am excited to see, and hugging up a storm with. Who knows? But I’ll never know unless I put my reticent foot forward and push past my tired, selfish need to be loved on (truly, there are those weeks when you don’t have one more ounce of anything for anyone, I get it. But don’t make it a habit).

Spread the love, it’s like fertilizer, it helps everyone to grow and become stronger.

Much love and hugs all around.