I'm one sometimes to share on the small miracles that AA delivers, like the one I experienced today.
My wife usually picks up my son from the school bus on Fridays and they go to a nearby pub/restaurant for a snack. She's working today so I picked him up instead.
He wanted his usual snack at the pub -- my offer of snack at home didn't cut it. He wants his fruit juice and Pringles at the place where they know his name, literally.
I now realize that subconsciously I was doing what AA has trained me to do. Check good reason for being there(it's a routine he likes and he really wants to do his usual Friday thing). Check my motivations (not a big fan of pubs, but want him to be happy). Check what I can bring (cash, lol).
We went in, had said snacks, I had a Pepsi and we left. Total neutrality for alcohol. Just didn't think of it.
Now I'm taking him to karate, where's he's getting his next belt. We'll come home, I'll make us pizza and we'll watch a movie (mum is out with the girls tonite). Son happy, dad happy, mum happy.
You can't avoid all places with alcohol. To do so would be depriving yourself and your family of a "normal" life. We can go anywhere we want as long as our motives are appropriate as you mentioned here. Sobriety is really about regaining our freedom, it's not about what we can't do so much as all the things we CAN DO now that we are not slave to alcohol.
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Keep coming back. It works if you work it. So work it. You're worth it!
I just had this moment on Wednesday. Took a girlfriend out for her birthday - she ordered a glass of wine - I ordered water. They came back and set the wine in front of me by mistake. I didn't even pause in my sentence or even notice it other than to not spill it as I slid it to her side of the table. The next day it popped into my head that it happened, and it was a very happy moment for me.
Seems to me I read about this in a book once... something about reacting sanely and normally hehe ; )
Page 84 & 85
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Thanks for everything. Peace and Love on your journey.
Hey Steve P.....Loved the simplicity of the story and the thinking behind it. Its that simple. Your son and you had a normal quick bite to eat at a pub. Gottalove this program. Can you imagine the headlines in the "Old Days"? Tom
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"You're in the right place. That's the door right there. Turn around."
Yep, thanks all, and nice one, Tasha. So good to hear that you are experiencing this thing too. No white knuckles, no desperately playing the tape forward. Just having a completely different tape in there.
My son got his new belt, we got the pics, and wife came home happy to hear all about it.
I don't know about others, but I can still have the newcomer enthusiasm when I realize that things like that happen. HP willing, I'll never lose it.
Great point too from TG about the headlines from the Old Days. It might have gone something like this: "great, junior, let's get your snack. I'll have a quick beer. Two hours later: just one more, junior. An hour after that: we're having fun here, junior, let's skip karate and eat here. 9 o'clock: ok fine we'll head back home! Just let me get something at the supermarket....
Next morning: I'm soooooooooooo sorry...."
Every day sober is good day. Some sober days are even better than good.
Great story.. Great gratitude:) I've had a few similar situations arise, and when I was out with some girlfriends ( one of whom I used to drink quite frequently with) and she ordered a manhattan I did feel a pang of loss. Then I 'thought through the drink".. Whereas she can have 1 and move on with her life haha I would wind up with at least 2 bottles of wine sitting in my kitchen alone chain smoking and contemplating suicide. I got over it. Also I work around booze so I think that has helped me " desensitize" to being physically around it. Great job on not even considering getting a drink in that environment
