The game of chess has been played since the 6th century. Originally called chaturanga, the pieces represented the four divisions of the military at the time of the game's creation: infantry, cavalry, elephants, and chariots. These have morphed into today's table pieces: the pawn, knight, bishop, and rook.
Chess is a game that demands sacrifice. It's about making tough decisions, playing to your strengths, and outmaneuvering your opponent.
Though we don’t know the origins of the recovery movement, we suspect it has been around longer than chess. Sobriety is a game of strategy, surrender, and spirituality. It is a contest of endurance that demands an open mind and a willingness to think and act fluently in the face of an adversary we call alcohol.
We come to the table with a clear mind, as healthy as we can be, and the mindset that we are here to win the match. The great players come with strategy—a game plan that has been proven over time.
We learn early that sacrificing any of our sixteen valued pieces is an inevitable part of our aim to be the last man standing. “Surrender to win” becomes the mantra of success. Every move we make is well thought out and supports our ultimate goal.
We understand that we are seated across from a worthy opponent—cunning, baffling, and powerful—who possesses its own strategy to win and makes moves in an attempt to thwart our strengths. Paid advertising, glorifying consumption, and omnipresence are moves that used to work in its favor. We recognize its hands are still on those powerful pushes. We respond with our slides and jumps to defend and attack its lie while holding onto the truth that we can be the victor over the repetitive messaging and faltered game plan.
A tale floats around about two men sitting in battle formation, waiting patiently for the other to make their move and contemplating their own response. Each believed it was the other's turn. Hours went by because of the misunderstanding. The lesson we take from the tail is that they both lost focus on the game itself. Neither was engaged enough to keep the contest going. For them, it was a waste of hours, but for us, taking our eyes off the competition is a matter of life and death.
A good game of chess should be enjoyable. Yes, it is serious for the competitor in us, but it should be a journey of enjoyment nonetheless. The thrill of the flow and the taste of triumph should drive a healthy pride with self-acknowledgment that we came to the table prepared, stayed the course with our strategy, and witnessed the crowning of our king.
Chess is only boring for the casual observer. Sobriety might look boring to those outside the circle of understanding. The recovery process is anything but boring. It is challenging yet fulfilling, depressing yet uplifting, stressful yet peaceful. Its ups and downs are appreciated for what they are and nothing more. This, of course, is based on our outlook in part and execution of our strategy.
The game of chess doesn't end until the king lays flat. Each day is a contest toward a victory for one side or the other. Yesterday, the opposing king crumbled. Our strategy worked. Our moves were well thought out and executed - with flaws, but executed. We were not surprised by what was thrown at us because we were prepared for the unpredictable. We still had force on the table and the clearness to defend and attack simultaneously. Not always pretty, but effectively, we stood on the principles and practices that have delivered our sobriety to date.
It is in the proven practices and some knowledge of the opponent that success can be had daily. We protect our king at all costs. It is, in fact, more than a game to us!
What will be our next move? Will we win or concede? Will a better competitor beat us, or will we stay the course to victory as an example to the next player? Our history tells us we have a shot to utter the words…
Checkmate!
Thoughts and ideas for this blog post were taken and built upon from a sober.coffee podcast #182 titled “Step Chat - focus on 12”… The podcast dropped on 9/18/2024. Click here to hear the podcast.
Photo by Eugene Chystiakov on Unsplash
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Alcoholics Anonymous and AA are registered trademarks of Alcoholics World Service. Inc. References to AA, the 12 steps, and 12 traditions does not mean that AA has reviewed or approved the contents of this publication nor that AA agrees with the views expressed herein. This publication is intended to support personal growth and should not be considered a substitute for healthcare professionals' advice. The author’s advice and viewpoints are their own.
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