These are the only words I can say to a newcomer sometimes. How often I had to stop there. Some people tell me: "Is that it?" I say: "Yes, that's it."
I heard a friend share last night. He is 11 years sober now. I had spoken to him about 17 years ago. He was upset with me because I suggested that he work the 12step program. It was absolutely horrendous to listen to the things that had happened to him, during those relapsing years.
For me it's but for the grace of God, that a tiny bit of sanity prevailed, and I could seriously embark on the 12 step program.
I had to suffer enough to have that teachable moment.
It is funny what some share in step meetings as the steps they thought were the toughest. I remember struggling with defects of character. Becoming willing to let them go and asking God to remove them. For a long time I thought I had to remove them myself.
Looking back, some struggles with working the AA steps was so trivial compared to the Four Horsemen of drinking.
I am reminded to be thankful.
Great topic to start the day with.
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"I spent a lifetime in hell and it only took me twelve steps to get to heaven."
"Experience is not what happens to you; it's what you do with what happens to you."
If you are as seriously alcoholic as we were, we believe there is no middle-of-the-road solution. We were in a position where life was becoming impossible, and if we had passed into the region from which there is no return through human aid, we had but two alternatives: One was to go on to the bitter end, blotting out the consciousness of our intolerable situation as best we could; and the other, to accept spiritual help. This we did because we honestly wanted to, and were willing to make the effort.
You have two choices....Die from it....Or work the steps. Take your pick.
Great topic and responses. The solution is simple, but not easy for complicated people. I needed every drink I took to remove all reservations I had that I was non-alcoholic and could drink in safety. Not suggested, but my experience. My experience was a process: extreme physical & emotional pain, followed by a sense of desparation, became willing to change coarse, became openminded because my way definitely wasn't working, became teachable, let my ways go for the new way of AA.
Reminds me of:
Pg 48 BB: Faced with alcoholic destruction, we soon became as open minded on spiritual matters as we had tried to be on other questions. In this respect alcohol was a great persuader. It finally beat us into a state of reasonableness. Sometimes this was a tedious process; we hope no one else will be prejudiced for as long as some of us were.
Great topic and responses. The solution is simple, but not easy for complicated people. I needed every drink I took to remove all reservations I had that I was non-alcoholic and could drink in safety. Not suggested, but my experience. My experience was a process: extreme physical & emotional pain, followed by a sense of desparation, became willing to change coarse, became openminded because my way definitely wasn't working, became teachable, let my ways go for the new way of AA.
Reminds me of:
Pg 48 BB: Faced with alcoholic destruction, we soon became as open minded on spiritual matters as we had tried to be on other questions. In this respect alcohol was a great persuader. It finally beat us into a state of reasonableness. Sometimes this was a tedious process; we hope no one else will be prejudiced for as long as some of us were.
yup, it took every drop of alcohol I drank to get me to the point where the pain of drinking exceeded the pain of reality.it was that emotional,mental and spiritual pain for me.
I still remember being at a meeting( don't rememeber the exact date, but it was rather early), after reading the first 164 pages and reading( without knowing it) the promises that would happen by working the program."i decided I want what you have and am willing to do whatever it takes to get it. im a highly skilled man and rather intelligent, but that hasn't helped me for crap, so its time for me to get dumb."
I think one thing that still buggers me up is knowing that it is a very simple program, but I step in the way!!!!
