I planned on going to a meeting at noon. Not feeling the need for one. Now, after struggling trying to get the car out from under the snow, I'm stuck! I need to go to the store, etc & now I'm pi$$ed off at the world! Had to come back in & take a deep breath & accept that I get to sit at home all day by myself! Wow, when does a person get a day off work with nowhere to go? Got to look at the bright side!!
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God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. Courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Rheinhold Niebuhr
I have been to 13 in 8 days and am heading to a nooner right now. I at first said I wont go today but then I just got a urge to go. I guess I enjoy hearing others and seeing my friends. Its a great way to start out my day...
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God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.
Hey Tessa,I have guys that call me and need a ride or need to go to a meeting so I remain available even the nights I dont feel like going.I always am glad I did afterward and God continually allows me to take something from each meeting that somewhwere along the line helps.Reminds me of when Im training for a road race and I feel Im in top condition and then I race poorly,othertimes I show up in general condition and have a breaktrhu run,Kinda like that in meetings for me,nights not feeling into it,get 'lifted up" with the message ,nights I may be psyched Not so enlightening!SomEtimes the"best ' times are when I,M struggling with anger,stress,anxiety all all the other goodies we were blessed with!!Stay up looking at the positive sides of things ,as hard as it is at times and continued work can turn that into a learned behavior...Thanks for sharing peace.
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Selfishness-self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles.
I had to miss my noon meeting today for business and now I'm cranky. Same thing is gonna happen Friday. May have to take a Friday night meeting to make up.
Ended up missing tonights meeting as well. Friend came over & got my car dug out but by then the meeting was half over so I went & picked up groceries since we're suppossed to get more snow through the night & tomorrow. I'm currently on probabtion (long story) & I have a PO appt in the morning I've got to cancel as well. But, my PO's really a good guy & only has my best interest & I'm still going to the drug rehab testing for drugs & alcohol so he knows I haven't been using recently.
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God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. Courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Rheinhold Niebuhr
I go to meetings whether I want to or not, whether I think I need to or not. I was told to do this, if I want what they had. It always works out to be a good thing. If I miss regular meetings, I have committed to "making them up" by going to different alternative meetings. This ends up exposing me to a different support group. If I have to miss for reasons beyond my control, or in observance of H.A.L.T., I try to set some quiet time at home for extra AA reading, or at least extra MIP time.
MOSt important, I don't beat myself up, I just get goin with the program. Glad to see ya back here, and I'm sure the folks at your meetings will feel exactly the same when you're not snowed in.
In our big book on pg. 15, it talks about why we go to meetings. It says that we meet frequently so that newcomers will find the fellowship they seek. That's why I go to meetings now, not because I need meetings, but because they (newcomers) need meetings. Certainly, when I was a newcomer I went because I needed them, because I was seeking that same fellowship, and I went to big book studies and step meetings to learn. I still do that. I haven't learned everything yet. I never went to meetings as a form of therapy, to help me deal with my "issues" because that's not what meetings are for, that's what sponsors and therapist and counselors are for. As I see it, it is sponsorship and extensive work with newcomers that keeps me sober and spiritually fit, not meetings. Having said that, if I'm sponsoring I'm encouraging them to go to meetings so I gotta go too to set an example and when I run out of newcomers to sponsor, where's the best place to find them? In meetings. I believe that when an alcoholic relapses its not because he/she stopped going to meetings, its because he/she stopped working with newcomers. When I sponsor I constantly am going through the steps, through the traditions, through the concepts. And if I sponsor enough newcomers, I'm continuously doing that. I cannot possibly get drunk if I'm spending so much time getting sober. Well, that's just my opinion of which I have many. I'd love to tell ya more of them, but I gotta go to a meeting.
Steve - 13 days is awesome...just a suggestion though...Don't tell yourself you aren't going to a meeting... Go to as many as you can get to. This will build an even stronger foundation for a time like Tessa is having when you are snowed in or have to work and "can't" go. Also, when new, I think many of us were known to hit up to 3 meetings in a day. I might still do that if I had nothing else to do.
Mark
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Keep coming back. It works if you work it. So work it. You're worth it!
I never NEED to go to meetings anymore, I am fortunate to have reached the stage where I WANT to go. I believe that if I wait until I NEED to go to a meeting, I am too close to a drink to do anything about it. My regular committment to meetings is 2 a week, together with doing service (visiting detox unit clients, doing school talks and liaising with probation, police and any other organisation who wants to hear about AA) I love Public Information service, I love anything where I can talk on my favourite subject (ME!!)
Tomorrow evening is Barnsley's after Christmas and New Year party (I thought a good title would have been St. Valentines Day Massacre, but that didn't get a vote) I have trifles made, and had the annual pre-party bath (Joe King) and ready to go-go-go. There IS life after alcohol, guys, don't leave 5 minutes before the miracle happens.
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Serenity is Wanting what you have, not having what you want
Always remember non-alcoholic beers are for NON-ALCOHOLICS
