I am currently six and a half months sober. I have a sponsor as well. Last night I decided to have a few sips of a wine cooler. I had maybe a quarter of a mikes hard lemonade. I didn't get drunk or even tipsy. Does that mean I should reset my sobriety date. I'm too nervous to tell my sponsor.
Welcome PurpleRayn....I'm glad you are nervous about it and not on a three week bender. This whole program is based on honesty....So that should answer your question....You aren't the first and won't be the last PR...It happens unfortunately....We need that solution they talk about in the book. I'm curious what step you are working on?...And you haven't lost that six and a half months....Learn from it.
I see you are still seeking to 'drink like a normal person' ... ... ... That, my friend, is a very dangerous path ... :
There is the type who always believes that after being entirely free from alcohol for a period of time he can take a drink without danger.
The idea that somehow, someday he will control and enjoy his drinking is the great obsession of every abnormal drinker. The persistence of this illusion is astonishing. Many pursue it into the gates of insanity or death.
Like Stepchild said, it's great to see 'total honesty' here, but you're on 'thin ice' I would say if you try that again ... there are NO guarantees that you'll ever make it back ... put that 6 1/2 months of the program to good use ... you know what you should be doing ...
Take Care and God Bless, Pappy
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'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
I looked at step three as a decision...I'd already came to believe that a Power greater than myself could restore me to sanity...From the insanity of having to take a few sips when I know in my heart it's the last thing in the world I should be doing. Believe me...We've all been there.
So the decision for me was...Am I going to trust in God to help me?...And am I going to trust that this process (The steps) is going to work....Or am I not?
Once I made that decision...Which was step three for me....I got into action....And told my sponsor I was ready to start writing inventory.....Step 4. I think I had 26 days sober...And I'd had a sponsor for 3 days. I'd suggest you don't wait around too long with step three....And talk to your sponsor today....And hang around here....You can learn something.
You don't know me so you don't have to trust me...But I can promise you this...You put in the effort and thoroughly follow the path (Directions in the Big Book)....You will have a new life that you didn't think was possible. I'm glad you are here....And you'll feel a lot better when you talk about your little slip.....Sponsors understand that. Keep moving forward.
Hey Ray : ) Welcome to the board. It's an important question to ask yourself. Shows good awareness and the ability to be humble and ask a question with honest substance behind it. Then you go on to display listening for an answer and being grateful - all in one little thread. You're an important member of this front line. We are looking out for you - and hoping you continue to contribute to the whole. We're in this together.
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Thanks for everything. Peace and Love on your journey.
Build a bridge between you and booze...walk acrossed it and when on the other side...turn around and blow it up. Walk away and don't turn back. A metaphor which has worked well for me. Welcome to the board...there is a ton of help here should you want to get help.
Welcome PR,
I had a slip at 3 weeks. It was intended to be two beers, turned into a 4 day bender. It proved I had the phenomena of craving which normal drinkers don't suffer from.
PR, let me take a bit of poetic licence here to make a point. A lot of people might say you had a slip PR, and they might say the reason was you never properly did step one, and I suppose there is an element of truth in that. You see, if you had properly understood what powereless means, you'd be breaking your neck to get through the steps and get to safe ground.
Now you had your few sips, perhaps you can see how easily it can happen, how defenceless we really are when we have not taken the steps. Perhaps now you understand step 1.
Now we can come to the real reason you might have taken those sips. When you looked at step two (if you took it) you came to the realization that you were suffering an illness that only a spiritual experience could conquer, then you became willing to believe that the same higher power that got all of us sober might just work for you too. So what was missing from your life last night?
No spiritual experience right ? and without that, you are as defenceless as on your first day. No human power can relieve our alcoholism.
That's why Stepchild stressed that this is a program of action. Step 3 is a simple decision to act on the first two steps. The Book suggests step three is a waste of time "will have little permanent effect" unless at once followed by strenuous action to be rid of the things that are blocking us from the sunlight of the spirit.
The spiritual experience/awakening comes as THE result of working the steps, and because we were powerless, we needed to get onto them quickly so we could be safe and protected from alcohol. The problem may well have been you took too long and simply ran out of time. That's what powerless means.
I agree with Stepchild, get on to step 4 now, but don't take too long over it.
PurpleRayn, Glad you came to this board and good for you that you have a sponsor. I have heard over and over again in AA meetings and on this board about step work and the necessity of it and I am anxious to work them so that hopefully, I can have more tools to keep me sober when I have my down times...which I just had recently and was able to get through it, but it wasn't easy and I didn't do it alone. I prayed to my HP, came to this board and kept going to meetings although I didn't want to, knew I really had to if I wanted to stay alive. I have also heard about how important honesty is in this program and if that happened to me, I would share it with my sponsor. For me, if I didn't the guilt would get to me and if I start early on keeping something so important from my sponsor I would be afraid that the relationship wouldn't be off to a good start and I wouldn't take the rest of the program as seriously. Almost as if I was a kid taking cookies from a jar when I knew that I shouldn't and thinking I got away with it once and I could do it again if I wanted to. I have seen people come to meetings intoxicated and go up and get milestone chips. It is very sad and I don't think it could possibly make them feel good about themselves. Your sponsor cannot keep you from drinking as I know you know, but hopefully can help you figure out why you felt the need to drink when you have six months of sobriety under your belt. So glad you posted and didn't keep drinking and give up on the program. That shows you have strength and are determined to win despite one time when you were faced with a weak moment. Hope it won't but if that happens again, hope that you can call your sponsor, a member or come to this board before you drink.
