By the end of my drinking, my world had gotten very small. I lost my job, again, but this time I didnt get a new one. Most of my friends and family didnt want to hang out with me much because I was usually drunk, or on my way there. I had long ago abandoned my hobbies like photography and reading they tended to get in the way of my drinking. In the end, I was alone on my couch with my booze.
Ill never forget my first meeting on a Tuesday night in Westwood, CA. It was a large, hip, speaker meeting at a church. There were probably a couple of hundred people there, and it was like I had arrived at a concert. People were talking, laughing, racing in and out of the room at the break. Wow! For a brief instant I felt part of the human race again. Later, I learned that the path back to life was through the Twelve Steps, and I committed to taking them.
As I got sober, my life did open up. There were lots of meetings, sober parties, fellowship and more. I got a job again, learned how to be of service, and started sponsoring others. In sobriety Ive traveled the world, gotten married, started businesses and written books. And each morning I greet the new day with joy and optimism. These days whenever I think of a drink, I think of everything else I would have to give up.
Nothing, especially a drink, is worth all Ive been blessed with in recovery.
