We have to stay sober no matter how life treats us, no matter whether nonalcoholics appreciate our sobriety or not. We have to keep our sobriety independent of anything else, not entangled with any people, and not hedged in by any possible cop-outs or conditions. Over and over, we have found we cannot stay sober long just for the sake of wife, husband, children, lover, parents, other relative, or friend, nor for the sake of a job, nor to please a boss (or doctor or judge or creditor) -- not for anyone other than ourselves.
Reprinted from Living Sober, Page 64, with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.
Thought to Ponder....
Having a slip is not an option. Staying sober is the solution.
Recovery Related Acronym
A A = Always Awesome.
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"We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have. "
I know some of us came to AA because of our spouses or children. I was always fearful that if my husband wasnt around, I would def be drinking. Im glad I stayed around long enough, went to meetings and discovered I really need this for me!
Ive heard it said, my worse day sober is better than my best day drunk! (i think thats right!)
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"We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have. "
Somebody said that alcoholics are natural born forgetters....for me, the hitting bottom events, dramatic as they were, were less powerful than the growing realization that the same cycle occurred every time I thought it would be ok to drink- the emotions of remorse, resolution, bargaining in order to permit myself to drink, drinking and feeling like a failure one more time- that cycle couldn't be rationalized away as a single bad luck event.
I went to a meeting yesterday for the 1st time in a very long time. I thought- we count days, especially initially, to give us something to hold on to, to go for- while we are waiting to absorb the bigger concepts. Inch by inch, step by step, day by day...beachgirl
Hi BG Its so funny you posted that about counting the days when we're new! I was just thinking, why in the world do we celebrate these milestones in our sobriety!? I guess for me its just a plain dang miracle I am here and I want to shout it out! Not so much in my daily life but certainly at meetings and on here! I guess it feels good to get a congrats or a pat on the back once in a while! Something I didnt get a lot of when I was out there!!! Glad you got to a meeting! Whats been stopping you!!!!!?
Great minds,,,,,,
Lani
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"We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have. "
I guess I went back because I wanted to feel the positive spirit in person. It was an open meeting, which I suppose, for me, is cheating .
I went to the zoo today with a good friend, her husband, and 2 kids. We walked our asses off. They totally support my sobriety, and it was a fabulous day.
Whatever kind of meeting it was, its great that you went at all!!! I forgot you didnt want to go to meetings because of your profession...Hit a few more of those types of meetings and you'll probably be suprized about you you run in to! Once I got over the initial shock of "OMG, they know Im an Alkie"-duh, so are they!!!!!...things got a bit easier!
Anyways, sounds like you had a fun day with your friends!
Have a great day! Lani
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"We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have. "
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