Staycation Vs Isolation

Blog, August 24, 2020.

Staycation? Isolation? Retreat? Down time!

Have ya’ll been seeing the ads and articles about “Staycations”? Well, I can’t comment too much on them, I haven’t actually read one, but I get the idea. It probably says to create some sort of environment within your home or property that is like a beach, mountain, lake, resort, blah blah blah. Oky doky. I’m sure there’s stuff in there about having board games with the kids, make a campfire in the back yard and tell stories while roasting marshmallows and weenies. Maybe even pitch a little tent for the kids in the yard or their room. That does sound like it could be fun, especially for the kids. I don’t mean to be a Debbie downer, but, hey, I think the whole “lockdown, stay in place” order and Covid 19 crap is enough of a staycation.

OK, they’re just trying to give us fun ideas but I’m kinda over this stay at home, staycation stuff. But the strange thing is, it’s all so depressing, I just want to isolate anyway! Lol, it’s a cycle of craziness. Isolation, aloneness, keeping it on the DL, yep, that’s what I’m wanting. Just not in my own house. I want a resort, a cabin, a getaway! Lol

Sometimes, we have to be careful about our isolation. I personally am feeling like I’d like to have some “reflective alone time with my God”. I like to go deep into prayer and meditation and figure thigs out. But I doubt I will get that kind of time. But it doesn’t stop me from havig a strong hankering in my soul right now. Yep, I just want to shut off the world. The politics, the Covid, the violence, the divisiveness. I need time to think, feel and heal, pray and pray deeply. I have some friends that really need some strong prayers right now. I do pray for them, but I don’t spend enough time praying for these serious situations because I have to carry on, cook, clean, work, etc.

For whatever reason, I feel like I do this kind of reflective prayer and meditation best in the mountains. Especially by a lake if possible. 😊 Yet, I know that I can pray anywhere. I can go to my room, shut the door, make my room my own little oasis and haven and chill out there and pray and write and meditate. I can go sit in my car and pray quietly and wait on the still small voice to nudge me. The reason I don’t include go sit outside is because right now the temps are running 107-115 around here and I do not want to just sit in the heat! That’s why the mountains are so attractive to me.

However, we all know there is a danger in isolation. Our recovery is dependent on interaction with one another. Even during lockdown. We need to continue to reach out, zoom, e- mail, call, face time. Do what we can to stay in communication with other addicts. Since I live with another addict, I’m covered in that respect, but I still need my friends, sponsor and sponsees on a regular basis to listen to, bounce stuff off of and lift each other up. Encouragement is really important in life, but even that much more in recovery and even that much more in lockdown time.

NA has it in their literature that “an addict alone is in bad company”. I know they are talking about purposeful isolation from people and society, not reflective down time to pray, meditate, think, feel and heal. It’s when we shut out the world, friends and family completely that we are in deep trouble.

I think it’s important to know the difference here, but I’d bargain that if you are wanting some prayerful alone time then you already know the difference.