Today I was filled with joy about recovery and sobriety. So when my brother came in from out of town and asked how things were, I replied honestly, "I'm happy to say, today is my 6 month aniversary!"
He thought that I had been doing this AA thing for longer ( a year and a half about), and I tried to explain that I drank on June 13 of this year, so I was celebrating six months of continuous days with out drinking today.
This started an uncomfortable conversation about the whole thing (over the bar no less, I was at work,;still bartending for income) and I found, gee, trying to explain to a non-member what sobriety is all about-sometimes better left alone.
Today I am grateful for that one night slip. I don't recomend trying it to anyone, and I am lucky that it was a seedy one-night stand of drinking instead of resulting in a bodybag or permanent insanity.
I learned alot about humility in starting over. The slip has meant that I came to assess my program in a really strong way and I now have solidified the tools to keep negative thinking at bay. I have better learned what keeps me sober: not drinking one day at a time, working the steps constantly, and maintaining a connection with a higher power of my understanding with wild abandon.
A year and a half ago, you came here very timid and not sure if AA was going to work for you at all. Given the alternatives, I would say you are in a great place (90 percent of new folks just stop positing here and never get the program). Who knows what becomes of them? I am so glad that isn't you and we get to hear of your triumphs. Congrats Angela
Mark
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Keep coming back. It works if you work it. So work it. You're worth it!
Angela, Congratulations! 6 months is huge. Thank you for sharing with us here. It provides Hope for all of us that this program works, if we continue to work it. It appears your working it.
Happy SIX MONTHS Sober Day, Angelov8!!!! ;) Thank you so much for flying your flag & living this message here. I enjoyed celebrating 6mths with a female fellow today too who marked the occasion doing her 2nd chair in as many days in my home group step meeting. She did the mainshare on Step1 from the 12&12 & shared for a newcomer at their first meeting. She's currently doing her Step4 & what beautiful assets she has. I told her she better include them! I hope you're aware of all of yours too! She, it, we, are Amazing. I love our fellowship & this message. Thank you so much for being here. You know I love you, Danielle x
-- Edited by Sobrietyspell on Wednesday 15th of December 2010 02:59:52 PM
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Progress not perfection.. & Practice makes Progress!