November 1st, 2016 Chip Honest/Dishonest

[bunnypie]

I have not made a face to face meeting in a week. I don't like to go that long without a meeting but to be honest I am hrtin for certain and don't know if I could last thru a meeting. To thy own self be true is kicking in. It would be dishonest to not try to do it. I will have to see how my body is feeling and make an honest decision later on today. I have 2 meetings that I can try for in the next 6-12 hours. Time will be a good deciding factor.......Bunnypie

[majestyjo]

Sorry you can't make a meeting. I hope you have been in contact with people in the program. Is there anyone who would come to you and put on a private meeting with you.

As I said in another post, "Eor is my online meeting." That is why I go to old post, I pick randomly, and always seem to find what I need in today, especially if I say a prayer and ask for the knowing I need. I go to all fellowships as you know, 12 Steps are 12 Steps. As a guy said today, "I talk to a lot of drunks, I think I need Al-Anon." He like me had sponsees that went out and didn't make it back in. Al-Anon helped me. I told him where my group was, so I hope to see him there. Perhaps, that will get me there too.

I know I went on a holiday and was away from a meeting for 10 days. I saw the bubbles in my boyfriend's sisters glass. I saw the sweat on the bottle and I was beginning to sweat even though I was surrounded by God's country and creatures, like hummingbirds, robins, squirrels, chipmunks, along with lots and lots of butterflies. My ex-boyfriend said, "You have me." I said, "You don't count."

[bunnypie]

There is nothing like the magic of one alcoholic talking to another. Dr Bob & Bill W. proved that and founded this wonderful AA program on that simple basic fact. I did make the 7pm meeting tonight and it helped a lot. The understand and the realization that sometimes you can give and other times you have to take. It is like the tides coming in and out. Sometimes it is giving and other times it is taking. You can't give what you don't have..........Bunnypie

[majestyjo]

What has come to mind the last few weeks has been how much I missed seeing the newcomers come in. My group is a discussion group and we are fortunate enough to have 3-5 long timers at our meeting. At my Al-Anon meeting today, there were two women there with over 35 years in recovery. Not sure how many, I forget, one might have over 40 years.

Yet I learned many years ago, I can learn just as much from the new person or someone with only a few years in the program, who works a good program. It is a one day at a time program and years mean nothing if you are not practicing your program in today. As my sponsor said, "If you woke up before 7 a.m. this morning, you have more sobriety than I have." It is important for me to remember that. As a friend in mine who goes to CA, (her father was an alcoholic, so for years she never touched a drop of alcohol) says,"Every time I go to a meeting, I try to go as a newcomer and be honest, open minded, and willing to do what ever it takes in today." It works for me.

[bunnypie]

We can't rest on our laurels! We have to work to hang onto what we have and I have to remember SLIP=Sobriety Loses It's Priority. I can put so many other things ahead of my sobriety and that will definitely get me into trouble-----Bunnypie

[majestyjo]

So true, without my sobriety I have nothing. Relapse was never an option for me. It was do you wish to live or die. I chose life! When I find myself lapsing back into old ways, I have to go back to basics. I can't even substitute food or even my computer, it all leads to the same soul sickness. It is about me getting honest with me. I quite often have to pray and ask for clarity and the knowing I need in the moment.

[bunnypie]

Hi Jo---A moment of clarity can definitely be the turning point! "We stood at the turning point! We ask his protection & care with complete abandon"------Bunnypie