Today marks 4 months of continuous sobriety.  I am still keeping track of my days which are now at 124.  But I am really starting to count months now.  Some weird changes are occurring at meetings, in the fellowship, and with me.  Beginners meetings have turned over completely and many of the people that were what I considered to be the solid group that I would see each time I went are now gone.  My sponsor tells me to keep going to beginners meetings regularly, not just to share for myself, but to show others that the time I am accumulating is possible for people with less time than I (which is often the case now...very strange).  I have started to try and help others a bit more and I gave my number out to someone just coming back into the rooms because I did not see anyone else approaching him and I felt like I should.  That was the first time I gave my number instead of asking for someone else's with more time than me.  I have seen people sharing in meetings about death and the horrible economy, losing jobs, taking care of parents with terminal illnesses, while not having to take a drink.  I am starting to see that I can have a life and deal with some of these things with the help of other alcoholics in recovery every day.  I still want to be at a better place, to feel better, and to have more serenity.  I am still constantly confronted by fear and the need to change and it is very difficult.  Nonetheless, I am in such a better place than the person that walked into that first meeting and said "I have no friends, no place to live.  I just crashed my car drunk, ended a 7 year relationship with another alcoholic.  My finances are a mess, and I am an alcoholic." I have been thinking that staying sober is really hard, but yesterday I heard someone say something in a meeting that struck a chord.  Staying sober is easy, dealing with life on life's terms is what is hard.  So for today, I pray to just keep putting one foot in front of the other and deal with whatever comes my way, good or bad.  Whatever happens, the rooms, my sponsor, and this board are here for me to help me get through it.  Anyhow, just sharing my experience.  I'm grateful to have this board and some people on here whose opinions I really respect.