rather than hi jack someone elses thread I thought I would start a new one to answer Pappy's query.
The AA life is pretty fantastic. For those that don't know me, I got sober a while back by taking all the steps and adopting a simple way of living as described is steps 10-12. Life has generally been good to me, but it has also had it's low spots, most notably the death of my wife a few years back.
In all the time that has passed since I had my spiritual awakening, it has never occurred to me to drink. Not a single time. The obsession was removed and has never come back. When my wife died it changed my thinking. We had been in the suburban family, business, retirement sort of rut for all our lives, just like most other people. But I realised something. None of us knows how much time we have, so if we have a dream, something we really want to do, then we better get on and do it.
My dream was to sail at least part of the world, and that is what I am doing today. I have become a kind of AA itinerant. I carry all the stuff to set up a meeting, and I stand ready to carry the message into new areas, though I have to say not many opportunities have come up.
At the present time I am in South East Asia, doing a refit on the boat in Malaysia. I have managed to get to AA both here and in Thailand, and it is pretty much the same as at home.
Tonight I had dinner with three people from France, England and the U.S. respectively. Yesterday I had lunch with an Australian couple. I meet lots of interesting people, and when I have a break from the refit, I go to some amazing places. My travels have taken me from New Zealand to New caledonia, Vanuatu, and five months cruising Indonesia which was an incredible experience. Such friendly people and absolutely delightful young people.
My base just now is Sitiawan, Malaysia. There are no meetings here, but that is not a problem. The God of my understanding, that AA helped me connect with, is with me 24/7 and provides a totally reliable defence against the first drink, no matter what happens.
I am not sure what I did to deserve this life, but I do know that being deserving is not a prerequisite for God's love. I try each day to do what I think He would have me, and everything just seems to fall into place.
This program really works. Taken in its entirety it has given me (God has given me) total freedom from alcohol. Alcohol has no say in anything I do. It has given me tremendous personal freedom and independence. I was going to say I couldn't be more grateful, but really, I could show more gratitude.
All the best
-- Edited by Fyne Spirit on Thursday 29th of September 2016 09:30:22 AM
What a fantastic testament to the fact that our AA program works if we work it ... Being free from the alcoholic 'shackles' has allowed me to experience a life I never thought possible too ... and I am grateful to the God of my understanding for the changes I was granted the strength to make ... AA opened my eyes to the fact that any person learning of 'Faith', 'Hope', and 'Love' through this program and an on-going conscious contact with the God of their understanding can do and achieve miraculous things ... we all are great examples of this amazing power ... God speed Brother ...
Love ya man and God Bless, Pappy
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
I am not sure what I did to deserve this life, but I do know that being deserving is not a prerequisite for God's love.
-- Edited by Fyne Spirit on Thursday 29th of September 2016 09:30:22 AM
Absolutely correct! Given my past damages, it is a bulletproof fact that the God of my understanding does not believe in justice or gave me what I deserve. Instead the God I know is all merciful. Outside of the internet, people wonder why I have such a easy going nature. It's because I believe I am on borrowed time. My personal price to stay in this borrowed time is to remain sober.
