AA Thought for the Day July 2

[TxRainwater]

AA Thought for the Day
(courtesy AAOnline.net)

July 2, 2004

Stay Sober

I have learned how to relate to people;
before AA,
I could never do that comfortably without alcohol.

I have learned to deal with disappointments and problems
that once would have sent me right to the bottle.

I have come to realize that the name of the game
is not so much to stop drinking as to stay sober.

Alcoholics can stop drinking
in many places and many ways --
but Alcoholics Anonymous offers us a way to stay sober.

c. 2001 AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 558.
With permission, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

^*^*^*^*^

Thought to Ponder . . .
Having a slip is not an option.
Staying sober is the solution.

* * *

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
B E S T = Been Enjoying Sobriety Today?
* * *

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Not only is being an active member in AA helping me to 'stay sober' I am learning a whole new way of life. Am beginning to see, by applying the steps and principles, to my daily life, that I can live a life worth living. I think if I am still going to AA to 'not drink' then I haven't gotten the program.
I want to live my life with a new philosophy and a new spirit, that is what I am learning now by continuing to go to meetings, to reach out and to serve my fellow man to the best of my ability. It is all about spiritual growth and development. Progress.
Thanks for letting me share.
Love and Light,
Brenda

[Teiger]

Thanks for that post TX!

Love,

Karen[/size][/b]

[knothead]

Not only is being an active member in AA helping me to 'stay sober' I am learning a whole new way of life. Am beginning to see, by applying the steps and principles, to my daily life, that I can live a life worth living. I think if I am still going to AA to 'not drink' then I haven't gotten the program.
I want to live my life with a new philosophy and a new spirit, that is what I am learning now by continuing to go to meetings, to reach out and to serve my fellow man to the best of my ability. It is all about spiritual growth and development. Progress.
Thanks for letting me share.
Love and Light,
Brenda

Thanks so much, Brenda!!!

I have tried AA several different times, and also with mixed results. The first time, I was literally scared into the program as a result of alcohol poisoning (nearly died). The second time (a few years later), I merely wanted save my job (and did so by successfully completing my first in-patient rehab, and then picked up where I left off 2 or 3 months afterward). About a year after that, I picked up my first DU(W)I. I was court-ordered into an out-patient program (which I also successfully completed). But I lost my job anyway. Then, I lost my apartment (couldn't pay the rent). I, for the first time in my life, was basically homeless. I went to a Salvation Army shelter (at the advice of an acqaintence). Stayed there for nearly two weeks. Then I got thrown out because I didn't meet their curfew one night because I was out drinking & had forgotten the time. Basically, my only choice after that was to either phone my parents (the worst choice), or live like the bum I had become on the streets. Neither choice was very appetizing to me. I truly was in dire straits (in my mind) at the time. But I did call my parents, and they welcomed me back into their house with ground rules, such as: 1) no drinking on their premises (nor come home drunk), 2) must pay room & board either outright and/or by doing menial chores (there were others, but I have forgotten them after after so many years). I abided by the rules for a while, and went to meetings almost religiously. Then, after about 6 months or so into the program, I began to feel pretty good. The old self-confidence was back. I was actually working the program for a change. And, ever-so-slowly, that same confidence turned to an ugly shade of personal ego. Sure, I can drink again, now. Sucessfully this time!!!

Anyway, I have I have been in & out of this program more times than I care to bore you people with. But the main thread to each of episodes is that I wasn't really trying to stay sober; I was merely trying to not drink for a while, for various reasons.

There *IS* a fundemental difference. Especially for me, today.

Simply put, I want to learn to live life on life's terms. And, if not happy about it, at least accepting. I am learning, thanks to all of you people in AA. Having a sponsor that just celebrated 30 years helps, too.

A side note: I volunteered to chair a meeting at the suggestion of my sponsor. I am willing, open and honest. Just for today.

Thanks for letting me share.

[~graced~]

"A side note: I volunteered to chair a meeting at the suggestion of my sponsor. I am willing, open and honest. Just for today."

Good for you! Sometimes the responsibility was a good reason to keep me going when I didn't 'feel' like it.

I was glad to hear from you, Knothead. Been praying over here that G-d was taking good care of you....

*hugs*

[knothead]

[quote author=~graced~ Good for you! Sometimes the responsibility was a good reason to keep me going when I didn't 'feel' like it.

Yeah, I definitely didn't feel like it. But I needed it. It humbled me. I find it much too easy to just pass the time away in meetings & not really pay too much attention. I can just about qoute the "12 & 12" by heart. Not to mention the promsises.

It was supposed to be a closed book study. So, it shouldn't have been any problem for moi, right? No. Not this time. A newcomer showed up & the meeting was opened by the group.

Anyway, after tripping all over myself & others guiding me through, it was, in the end, a very succesful meeting.

Thanks for the service work. I need it as much as anyone ever has. It teaches me that it really isn't so much about *moi* as it is about the whole.

Staying humble & teachable will remain my focus, G_d willing.

[~graced~]

Oh yeah...."since when does what you WANNA do have anything to do with what you NEED to do?!" I can't tell ya how many times I've heard that...well, that and "it's NOT required that you WANT to do something to DO IT".

*shrugs* I had 'one of THOSE' kind of sponsors..LOL I definitely needed it when I came around the tables. Funny.....he grew a whole lot during the time I knew him...actually turned out to be one of the most loving people I've ever been graced to cross paths with, though he'd have told you it was ME who did the growing...

Ain't it cool how G-d takes care of what we need by putting a wrinkle in what we had 'figured out'? Gotta love it!

Staying teachable and willing to follow directions no matter if it made sense or not brought me humility rather quickly....LOL...I didn't even have to ask for it! All I had to do was practice saying "yes thank you, I think I'd like to do that" and all sorts of wonderful opportunities availed themselves to me.

Sounds to me like it all worked out as it was suppose to, tonight!
*hugs*