What are sobriety dates for?

jj · MIP Old Timer

What are sobriety dates for?

StPeteDean · MIP Old Timer

sounds about right, but it also gives something to be grateful for.

jj · MIP Old Timer

Yes, Dean!!
it is a gratitude thing! every time i think about it.
;)

Tessa · Senior Member

Knowing how much time I've got is all I need. Knowing I can make it more than a day is an achievment for me!! But, getting a coin is so others can see that I've made it this far & give them a reason to stick around to see how I've stayed sober 2 years. JMHO

Jerry F · MIP Old Timer

Sobriety dates are a reflection of the "courage to change the things I can". This has
been a whole journey not a short trip and the markers of awareness and the people
envolved go back to when. Way back to when. I know more than a handful of
fellows who go way back and then back again and then back again. The other
morning and mornings before that I hear again another member who praised and
thanked those with long continuous recovery for mentoring him to commit and put
in the effort to work the program in all his affairs including the day he just had.

I was raised by old old timers many of whom are no longer in the program having
surrendered to age and whose voice and message was purer than it is today. Their
passing statement was very similar to Dr. Bob's statement to Bill W before he died.

Sobriety dates are for me to smile on and yes...exercise gratitude. 2/8/79. smile

cooncatbob · Senior Member

Marking time shows the newcomers that it's possible to have years and decades of sobriety.
When I got sober I was in awe of old timers with double digit sobriety, and when they shared from the heart about their struggles which were the same as mine, they didn't try to tell me what to do but shared what worked for them.

pinkchip · MIP Old Timer

They also seem to allow oldtimers to know where we are at and temper suggestions based on the issues they had when they were starting out, 1 year sober, 2 years...etc. I think that helps us progress...at least it does for me when someone says "Oh that is exactly what I went through in my second year" or whatever. It makes me feel not alone, more normal, and it reassures me that I can and will keep progressing.

Dave Harm · Senior Member

I've got a good friend who does not celebrate her sobriety birthday. She says it puts to much pressure on her... that everyday she sees a calendar and for her it adds a little bit more pressure. She has chosen February as her recovery month... but does not celebrate a specific day... this attitude of gratitude for her has kept her sober for over eight years... so I guess it is truly an individual ideal.

Me personally, I too, don't celebrate the day. I celebrate the weekend. I got sober the Saturday before Labor Day... I have always celebrated it on that day... not the date... so sometimes mine is a couple of days early... and sometimes its a couple of days late...