Man Plans God Laughs

I was raised under the shadow of the steeple, the scripture a lullaby that lulled me to sleep, a refrain that was as much a part of me as the blood in my veins. But as I grew, the certainty of faith began to fray around the edges. The stories in the bible, once as vivid and real as the world outside my window, became abstract, intangible. They could no longer quiet the questions that buzzed like hornets in my mind. I needed more than just words on a page to tether my belief. In my pursuit of truth, life wound me through alleyways of despair and avenues of euphoria. My trajectory seemed erratic, a ship tossed in a tempest, but as I look back now, I see the outline of a divine map. I am reminded of an old saying, “Man plans, God laughs.” The universe, in its infinite wisdom, has a knack for making our grandest designs seem minuscule. A reality I was forced to confront time and again. There were countless moments when I was consumed by a project, my vision tunneled, my focus narrowed to a singular goal, convinced that this was my magnum opus. But each time, the world outside my blinkered view would shift, the ground beneath me would crumble, and I’d find myself staring at the rubble of my dreams. AA, for instance. I approached it with a fervor, a sense of purpose. But the realities of organizational bureaucracy were far more complex than I’d anticipated. The process of getting literature approved felt like trying to push a boulder uphill. My story, my truth, was too raw, too real for the confines of their guidelines. But it was this same rawness, this authenticity, that made it resonate with people. This realization led me to #PutTheBottleDown. It was no longer just about my story. It was about the millions of others who were fighting the same demons. It wasn’t just for the people huddled in AA meetings, or those reaching out for help through the Quit Drinking app. This was for anyone who was yearning for a better life, a better self. We are not merely vessels carrying a spirit. We are spirits, infinite and eternal, given a temporary shell to navigate this physical plane. We are all connected, our stories intertwining like threads in a cosmic tapestry. And it’s my belief that there are many more threads that mirror my own than I can fathom. With each passing day, the bigger picture unfurls a little more, revealing a path I couldn’t see before. I’ll continue to tread this path, guided by the voice that whispers in my ear, reminding me of the long, arduous journey to sobriety that brought me here. Because every step, every stumble, every detour has led me to this moment, this understanding. This belief.