recovery... to me, is like a carrot on a stick, that i can actually believe i will reach if i keep trying. But as soon as i stop telling myself i can reach it, i realize it's just an idea to motivate me toward... or rather, through, everything between here and the end.
recovery is both the carrot, and the belief in reaching the carrot. Without the motivation to believe, there is no belief or motivation... and nothing to reach. And since we all know there is no reason to reach for what isn't there, we have to believe the carrot, so that we can have a reason to get through the challenges in our paths, so that we can achieve things worth achieving... even if we have to believe a false carrot, to get there.
If i were to imagine that recovery can actually exist, i would have to describe it as being healthy, balanced, stable, motivated, and involved... and being content with whatever results from the pursuit of worthy goals. Something like that.