Last night's meeting once again reinforced my resolute conviction that we, as recovering alcoholics, are not somehow second-class citizens. There was a newcomer there, on his fourth day of sobreity, very humble, with (literally) hat in hand. He remarked he wanted to go to church yesterday morning, but because he finally came to grips with his alcoholism and had admitted to himself Step One and its subsequent unmanageablity of life, that he did not feel "worthy" to attend church with the other "normal" people.
That's the kind of belittling browbeating I have been fighting tooth and nail since I sobered up. As one of the oldtimers at last night's meeting told this gentleman, "We alcoholics aren't bad people trying to get good. . .we're sick people trying to get well." I maintain that because we have acknowledged our dysfunction and have confronted it right in the face, that we have MUCH more courage than the John Smith or Jane Doe sitting next to us in the church pew--as these folks have their own demons in life to battle, too, and chances are, they are in denial to deal with them. Whether it's having an affair with the secretary, or gambling too much, or padding the company expense account, or not coming to grips with an out-of-control teen child, our compadres in day-to-day life have their own axes to grind.
Isn't it refreshing, and uplifting, to be doing something about what ails us? This doesn't make us "unworthy". . .quite the contrary. We discover bliss and contentment, one day at a time; and such self-discovery, as Sir Walter Scott so aptly phrased, is "worth an age without a name."
Yaaa...we are worthy....I AM missing a few marbles tho....and the two brain cells that are left...go through quite a bid of analyzing...which sometimes causes a migraine--but other that that.....Normal stuff:) Just hafta figure out what normal is....compared to what....
All I know for sure is---those social drinkers can make a gin and tonic, last for 4 hours....now...what is that all about...really.?
To me... thats not normal.:) Truck on Bud!!
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Easy Does it..Keep It Simple..Let Go and Let God..
Hola, Phil. Glad to see you back in the saddle, pardner.
Yeah, what's up with the social drinkers nursing a gin and tonic some four hours? Heck, my girlfriend can make a Seagram's fuzzy navel last all night, but when I get some lint trapped in my navel, she doesn't want anything to do with it. Double standard, wouldn't you say?
MIKEL..................oldtimers at last night's meeting told this gentleman, "We alcoholics aren't bad people trying to get good. . .we're sick people trying to get well." I maintain that because we have acknowledged our dysfunction and have confronted it right in the face, that we have MUCH more courage than the John Smith or Jane Doe sitting next to us in the church pew--as these folks have their own demons in life to battle, too, and chances are, they are in denial to deal with them.
rosie>>>>>>>>> AMEN AMEN AMEN.....i thought i was the *low of the low* Bcuz i had such an affair with alcohol.....i am just a sick person, trying to recover on a DAY to DAY basis....i have been put down badly Bcuz i numbed out on alcohol from church people can you believe???? ......but now??? as i work on me??? a clean life???? i am too busy with my inventory to work others, but the ones who have put me down????? i just feel pity for them , that they are lookin at me and not working out their inner demons.....at least i have the guts to come here adn say "hey i am sick...i drink....i whatEVER and i want to get well/ recover".....i did a lot of s*** i am not proud of but you know what???? at LEAST i am willing to do my Step 4 on it and make amends, and not deny but to face my crap/ learn from it/ and move on/ learn my lessons and work on ME!!!!!
A fuzzy navel is a peach-flavored wine cooler. . .definitely a "chick drink," Phil. <Shudders> The girlfriend can make a 4-pack last a week; heck, back in the day I couldn't make 4 beverages last an hour!
Screw loose? Yep, that's me!
And rosie, you go, girl! Hang in there, workin' the steps! You're miles ahead of those who dare to judge you--but fail to judge themselves! Big hug!
