This year’s Recovery Ventures 4th of July BBQ was a celebration of Freedom from Addiction. The men’s and women’s inpatient treatment houses joined forces for a day of fun, food, and freedom. The fireworks show at the end of the day was a huge success as we shared nighttime oohs and aahs while we watched the show.

Volleyball is always a must at 4th of July events, and the Recovery Ventures teams were in heated competition. Top honors went to the women’s team, who dominated the men in 3 games out of 5. Best of all, somebody brought an acoustic guitar and we jammed to a few old fashioned American country tunes.

Whenever we grill, it’s always delicious. The pot-luck style picnic was terrific, with ice cream, cake, cookies, BBQ on the grill, and all the fixins. The German potato salad was great, and the baked beans were a hit.

Even though sometimes it can seem like the fun would never end, even as the fireworks died down. However, at the end of the day, we took a moment to think about what it means to have true freedom from addiction. It’s such a blessing to go to sleep without taking a pill. To wake up without being sick. Happiness is not only possible, but almost constant. Truly, we are lucky to be alive, and that gratitude shines through even in the darkest times.

Oh beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain. For purple mountains majesty, above the fruitened plains. America, America, God shed his grace on thee.