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Post by Tiger on Jan 13, 2004 10:38:25 GMT -5
[bI cringe when I hear the following statement from a member of AA:
Gee, I haven't thought of a drink in (months, years ect.)
I know we all have heard this. It is a preclude to "taking our sobriety for granted". Soon afterwards we let up on our meetings, leave the the 12th step work for the newer members and forget what "First Things First" really means......Jan 6th Thought for the Day from the 24 Hour Book!
IMO that "snake of alcoholism" lies dormant in each of us waiting to strike at an opportune moment whether we have 20 days, 20 months or 20 years of sobriety.
I have found, from experience, the only solution is a daily realization that:
"Eternal Vigilance Is The Price of Sobriety"!
Tiger]b]
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Post by Caressa2 on Jan 24, 2004 1:25:04 GMT -5
How true my friend! So many people get caught up in the 'years' and the length of their sobriety, when in fact all we have is today.
It isn't what I did yesterday that keeps me sober, it is what I apply to my life today. It is quality, not quantity that gives true sobriety. Sobriety for me is "Peace of mind" and as long as I don't pick up people, places and things, I have a chance for a good life, just for today.
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Post by Caressa2 on Jan 24, 2004 1:31:36 GMT -5
This is a post script.
The scariest thing I find is the slogan "Keep Coming Back" and I have wanted to change it for years.
"Keep coming, so you don't have to come back. Yes, people are welcomed when they have a slip and as Misty Eve says, "Sobriety Loses Its Priority." I think we slip mentally, emotionally and spiritually long before we pick up the substance of our choice, be it drugs, alcohol, relationships, gambling, food, work, etc. It all leads tothe same soul sickness and it generally means I haven't been doing the do things, and have slipped back into old patterns, behaviors and thinking, long before I do the physical act.
This is an issue for me, called a friend lost distance in Kentucky tonight from Canada to talk to her. I had realized that I had no desire to go to a meeting and haven't been to very many in the past month. I know it is a dangerous thing to do and am very grateful to the people in my life who contact me. In the last two days my phone has rang seventeen times, several of those have range two or three times, and I have probably called out about ten times. If I can't get that contact at a meeting, I need to do what I need to do in other ways.
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Post by Tiger on Jan 24, 2004 18:29:35 GMT -5
Hi Caressa2,
There are some who due to illness who can't make f2f meetings and have to use other contacts to maintain their sobriety.
But, for those of us able to make f2f meetings, I would like to share someting my beloved sponsor "Papa Frank" (an old-timer from the 60s era of AA) used to close all his comments at 38 years of sobriety:
People who don"t go to meetings get drunk, people who go to meetings stay sober and I still go to meetings because "It's easier to stay sober than to get sober".......how well I remember that!
A year later, he died sober....he made the program!
Tiger
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Post by MrDuck on Jan 25, 2004 16:18:41 GMT -5
Not sure what Caressa2 meant by if I can't get that at a meeting.
I do agreee with Tiger about on line being a good fill in for those that can't go to f-2-f. I like what Tiger said about what sponsor said. I have been sober for a while and still believe in meetings. I still go several times a week and they still work. I come from a small town and don't know where most of them in this town come up with their once a week ( if that ) meeting mentality. Most of the ones that I have go to more then one meeting a week. I have yet to meet anyone that is a professional or extremly good at what they do that does it only once a week or once a month whatever. The ones that are good at what they do, do it on a regural basis.
I think on line can be a nice fill in but hope it never replaces f-2-f. Is going to meetings a guarentee that it will work and keep one sober and help to change their attitude? Personally I can yes. Is not going to meetings a guarentee that one will get drunk? Not sure. I did take an 8 month leave of absent once but back again. AA works for me so why change what works. One can only play Russian Roulte (sp) about so many times before you lose.
As for getting out of meetings what I need. Well, part of the problem is I have to put in to take out.
Have a great day.
Ron
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Post by Tiger on Jan 25, 2004 18:18:09 GMT -5
Hi Ron,
"As for getting out of meetings what I need. Well, part of the problem is I have to put in to take out".
Great Quote!
It's like saving money for a rainy day - the more we put in - the more there is available for that "rainy day" which all of us face at one time or another.
Tiger
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Post by majestyjo on Feb 1, 2019 16:24:23 GMT -5
Not sure what I meant, I think if I can't get what I need from a meeting, which varies from day to day. Generally reminder, hugs, esh, especially hope. I only had online meetings for a while myself, they were my lifeline. I considered EoR to be my online home group. That meant coming here and sharing and anything I found that helped me, I tried to pass onto others. As my sponsor said years ago, "Don't ask what your group can do for you, ask what you can do for the group. I have repeated that a lot, but it is important.  |
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"Win, loose, or draw I have had one hell of a lot of fun being here."
. I will be back looking for Lin and others.