I - thanks to God and AA - am now 2 and a bit months sober. I live in a small rural town without a licence so the 90 meetings in 90 days is a bit hard for me so a place like this is really handy.
I've spent most of the evening reading the threads and they have really helped me on a couple of questions I've been confused about, and a couple of others I hadn't yet considered.
I'm doing pretty well at the moment even if that evil little voice in my head keeps telling me that a drink would be nice and I don't have to have more than a couple as I am "cured" now. I'm not listening to it as a bigger bunch of lies I have never heard but it is disconcerting to realize that a part of me wants to kill me. Three months ago it came very close to doing just that and it caused my wife to leave me (maybe forever) yet it still wants to get back into my good books.
Anyway it's good to be sober today and good to be here among friends.
Welcome! It's nice to have you join us in the life raft. I've seen many in my group get rides to meetings when they didn't have a license. It might be a little harder if you live way out, but there's folks out there that will pick you up. I was one who picked up newcomers and still do. It helps to keep me sober. At your next meeting, be honest and tell the group you could use a ride to meetings. You'll be surprised at how many people will respond to that request. Many will be glad to reciprocate because they were in your shoes starting their journey.
The wife thingy: my Sponsor told me that if I was meant to be with my wife I was not powerful enough to screw that up- if I stayed sober. He also told me that I couldn't make it work if it wasn't meant to be. It took the responsbility off my shoulders and placed it were it belongs- with God.
Welcome Frodo. If you find a good sponsor, you can still work a very intense and thorough AA program regardless of where you live. I would consider that to be your next task. Realizing you have a problem is a really important part of step 1. You just need a guide to help you through the rest of the steps. Go to all the meetings you can though.
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Keep coming back. It works if you work it. So work it. You're worth it!
Thanks for the welcome. I can get lifts to 3-4 meetings a week in good weeks or 1-2 when people are not around. Not ideal but not bad either, however a member who has just rejoined after a bust wants to get to as many meetings as he can so the number I get to should pick up. I have a copy of the Big Book (great stuff! great stuff!) and have borrowed 12 steps and 12 traditions which I am reading at the moment. I don't have a sponsor right now but I have a couple of older members who have taken me under their wing so now I guess I will just have to figure out which one I relate to best.
I've read some really good advice on the steps here - particularly step 4 which I have been foot dragging on as my box of sins isn't that pretty and I'm feeling a bit too fragile to tackle those at the moment. It's good to see I am not unique on that or many other things that I always thought only I was going through, but I will get onto it ASAP as the importance of it has been made very clear to me in my reading here today .
The wife thingy: my Sponsor told me that if I was meant to be with my wife I was not powerful enough to screw that up- if I stayed sober. He also told me that I couldn't make it work if it wasn't meant to be. It took the responsbility off my shoulders and placed it were it belongs- with God.
Yep. That's the plan I've decided on. A black cat brought me her phone number that got me the introduction so I've always figured that He had a hand in my marriage so I'll let him decide where I should go from here. I need to get well and then see what happens because while I might only have a slim hope if I am sober I will have absolutely none if I am drunk and then probably dead. I'm really only concentrating on my kids at the moment so I can be the dad that I should have been had the bottle not taken me away.
Awesome. keep coming back, keep reading, keep praying, keep being willing to be willing. a sponsor, the meetings, the steps and God will show you that you can be a better you than you ever knew. hugs jj/sheila
Frodo .... geez what a metaphor!! Get rid of the ring!!
Congradulations of the sober time and the willingness to go to whatever lengths to get there. Your losses remind me of some of mind and then also remind me of what I've been grateful to have since then.
If it was your drinking that was directly related to the break up with your spouse it can also be a connection to suggesting help for her by having her look up the hotline number for the Al-Anon Family Groups. If not you someone else...I harmed alot of people with my drinking also and am grateful for the people who were waiting for me when I reached the doors of recovery. I'd love that for everyone affected by this life and mind threatening disease.
Welcome...stick around and hold on to sobriety with us.
Welcome Frodo. This site has been helpful for me to stay connected and dig in to recovery, which every day means a life more happy, joyous and free, for real! Hope to see you around.
I went to a really good meeting tonight so I'm feeling pretty bouncy which is nice.
Just wondering if someone could tell me what ESH is that I have seen on this board so often, as well as any other abbreviations or the like that I may come across in my reading here as it will make it easier to follow the conversations.
