A license plate reminds him that recovery is one day at a time.

One day in the spring of 2024, I had an appointment with my eye doctor in Oshawa, Ontario (Canada). Parked right outside the office building was this motorcycle. I stood stock still for a moment, looking at the license plate—ODAAT—and the yellow bumper sticker above it—ONE DAY AT A TIME.

I stood there and thought to myself: “There’s no doubt in my mind that the owner of this motorcycle is in a 12-Step program.” I took this picture, and for a long while, this picture became the wallpaper on my phone.

Every time I opened my phone, this picture would remind me that the Program is one day at a time, and always will be. Every day, when I talk to my daily sobriety renewal partner, I remind myself that tomorrow I could choose to follow another path, but just for today, I give over the will and care of my life to God, who kept me sober yesterday and has protected me from the consequences of my lust and acting out in the past.

At the SA International Convention in July, in Dallas, the very first breakout session I attended was called “One Day at a Time.” The facilitator shared his story, stating that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, but if we keep taking one step at a time, making one phone call at a time, making one meeting at a time, then guess what? ONE DAY AT A TIME, we might reach that 1000 miles.

During the sharing time, I shared this motorcycle story with the group and showed this picture on my phone. I was encouraged to submit this story to the ESSAY Magazine.

I wish I had the opportunity to meet the owner of that motorcycle that day in 2024. I would have told him (or her) that those letters ODAAT have a deep, profound meaning to me as well because, as long as any of us in 12-step programs continue to surrender the will and care of our lives over to God—ONE DAY AT A TIME—recovery continues to happen.