A young man committed suicide by hanging himself. This has become almost a daily statistic in our area. My heart breaks everytime I think of the pain and suffering that family must endure for the rest of their lives. Alcoholism is killing a lot of younger people today. Our Monday night group consists of almost 50% of people under the age of 30. These are the people I focus on intensely. I sponsor them and encourage them to do service and work the steps. I will definitely not discourage them in any way. When I came into AA at the age of 28, the people that worked with me showed me nothing but love and kindness. I grew in leaps and bounds because of this. I decided to serve AA from that time onwards [August 1988]. My God has seen to all my material needs. I work at leisure so that I can continue to give extended time to AA. My wife and I are always the last one to leave the AA meetings. I like the way Dr Bob puts it on pg 180 of the BB. "I do it for four reasons: 1. Sense of duty. 2. It is a pleasure. 3. Because in so doing I am paying my debt back to the man who took time to pass it to me. 4. Because every time I do it I take out a little insurance for myself against a possible slip."
A family in my town just buried their first born son last week, he was somewhere in his early 30's. Downed a bottle of sleeping pills with a bottle of whiskey. Couldnt face his life anymore and now his family and friends are left to mourn him.
Thankyou Gonee for you and your wife's service and commitment to AA. Dr. Bobs nightmare is a great part of our literature.
Gonee, Yes, what a tradegy. A friend of mine just passed due directly to alcoholism. He just couldn't get honest with himself, therefore, no one else. People were their to help, but he couldn't muster the humility needed to accept the help. He was found in a river dead with a 1/2 bottle of Vodka near by. He was 43. A reminder of how powerful this diesase is.
I'm inspired by your willingness to give back. I also try to give back to AA in several ways, but can still be inspired to do more... I'm grateful to be sober and recovering today.
Gonee . But for the grace of God there go I ! Like myself I suffered for nine monthsthis time around until I surrendered to this solution. Before that I suffered from active drinking for a good two years . I am positive that sober untreated was way worse than drunk. I realized that I was still playing God.and that did not work. Thank God for a 12 step program.I. lost an older brother from this disease .I was sober 16 years when it happened. Before that I had to opportunety to be his friend . And because I am powerless and beyond human aid . For 14 years I was able to be there for him . No axes to grind no people to please .no teeling him. How to live .or judgement. Just grace and mercy sitting right in front of me. Once a week a pack of smokes for him til he stopped smoking. It was the same conversation.same stories same I am so proud of you Bill. He knew I was sober . He also knew he could tell me any thing .but he could not stop or stay stopped just like me. Same torture runny nose in the summer . He died in the winter . He drank himself to death. What's the difference. Un treated is un treated . I practice ten elevenand twelve. So I don't have to kill myself over resentment fear dishonesty and selfishness I need Gods help to remove them . I stand in the sunlight of the spirit .a free man I. Serve him and help drunks He loves me I feel that I am his favorite drunk. Nothing new or different .when I. Leave this earth and I see johnny again he won't be suffering and he will smile and his eyes will be that sky blue .thank god for a 12 step program.
Bruce alcoholic just turned 25 i have been an alcoholic of the hopeless variety most my young life and did not kno it. Found out i had colon cancer and all if i did not have people who could show me that my mind and that it was the first think not drink no mental defense against it an that it was tyring to kill me and that that God the 12 steps were the way because the dicease centers in my mind and its trying to kill me daily i would have surely been dead or cancer ridden i kno i had to have gods help love grace and mercy or i could not accept the humility i needed. I have to Continue to trust God he lead me to the people of AA the book and these steps
-- Edited by Full Flight on Monday 6th of December 2010 06:02:07 PM
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Trust god work the 12 steps keep god close Love the ones u got and pray for all those who need prayers, peace. God Bless !
