The old friends who never drop us

[mario]

As our drinking progressed,most of us lost old friends, Sometimes it was our behavior that drove them away, at other times it was because they didn't want to associate with losers,
In sobriety some of our old friendship have being restored,These are the real friendships based on trust & true affection,
But sobriety can also give us a deeper and finer understanding of friendship,We may acquire a new set of value on this subject,We may find that some of those we considered friends were only fairweather drinking acquaintances,
Drinking acquaintances will probably ease away from us if we really mean business in staying sober,This need not bother us if were thinking rightly,The great news in all this is that in this and other communities like this we will be making some of the best friends we can ever have,We will also learn to be great friends with ourselves, In your thinking about friendship today seek out people you can trust not people you can use. :-)

[one2many]

The old friends who never drop us

EXCELLENT post Mario......

I don't see some of the friends I once considered close....they are still into getting thrashed on a night out and do not like the fact I don't drink)

I have made some of the very best friends I ever had on here and ones that I know I will be friends with forever, so to those that call this a virtual world....it's not..it's a lifeline and a haven...it's where my friends live.

[mario]

The old friends who never drop us

I have made some of the very best friends I ever had on here and ones that I know I will be friends with forever, so to those that call this a virtual world....it's not..it's a lifeline and a haven...it's where my friends live.__________________


Exactly my thoughts .

[gyco]

The old friends who never drop us

hi folks,good post mario,hi onester,some of the best friends you ever have are the ones you ve never met,in more ways then one,just go down to old old pub, and watch them poison themselves more, a thot for the day gyco

[clare]

The old friends who never drop us

Hi mario, another good post, Thanks.

[coalfire]

The old friends who never drop us

This post is very relevant to me this weekend. My old friend and no 1 drinking buddy rang me yesterday morning to check if I would be free last night. She said she would come up to stay with me and we could go out to my local to hear a band. She kind of caught me on the hop and I agreed before I knew it. After I put down the phone I started to feel really uneasy. I am only in the infancy of my recovery and here I was arranging to go to my no 1 drinking haunt with my no 1 drinking buddy in the vague hope that I could stay on orange juice all night. Really? Sanity prevailed and I rang her within the hour.I explained about me not drinking(without too many details) and told her I would love to have her up for a dinner and a catch up. I said she could have a bottle of wine if she wanted because I didnt mind that-which I dont. I just dont want to be in a pub on a Saturday night. After a little to-ing and fro-ing she apologised and said something had come up and she could no longer make it. Suprise suprise! 6 months ago that would have really upset me. Thats the kind of situation that always dragged me back to the drinking scene. MWO has really changed me. All you long term abstainers have us well prepared for this. I refused to get upset. I have become hardened now -in a good way. I just said to myself f**k her. Sorry I know thats a bit of a basic response but I have to get tough if Im going to do this. Anyway I got out my library book which I got during the week. Its by a guy called Brian O Connnell and its called Wasted-A Sober Journey Through Drunken Ireland. I read it in one sitting yesterday. Its written mainly for the Irish with lots of local references etc but I think any recovering alcoholic would enjoy it. Some very thought provoking sentences. Just exactly what I needed. My OH came home early yesterday and we spent the night cuddled on the sofa- him watching football and me reading my book. It was nice and cosy and peaceful and Im so so so so glad this morning I didnt give in. My friend will either decide to join me in AF activities or she will leave my life. Its now as simple as that for me.I hope she stays but ce sera sera. Anyway Im in great form this morning. We are going to treat ourselves to a big unhealthy fry up,read the papers then head off to the forest to get rained on and walk off the brekkie. Sure beats a hangover full of guilt/shame/remorse etc. Hope you all have a good day too.

[Cassia]

The old friends who never drop us

Mario

This is such a great post and really relevant to me right now. I was just thinking last night how lucky I am that the friends I have are still my friends even though I have quit drinking. Last night, my best friend and my other friend came round and watched a movie and laughed for ages! It was brilliant. No one drank although I wouldn't have been bothered if they did. My other friend emailed to say that they missed me and could we go for lunch. I was round at a mate's last Friday and even though everyone else was drinking and I wasn't - it was still so much fun and I felt like I was on top form.

So, I have been really fortunate. I never really had drinking buddies as such - I had the Friday night crew but those were just my work colleagues and friends that I knew I could always convince to go for a drink with me if I really needed one. Least to say, I was the bad influence.

I am very fortunate and I am also very grateful!

xx

[coalfire]

The old friends who never drop us

Cassia. That sounds like a great situation! Thats the type of scenario I was trying to create last night but I have spent my life surrounded by pub going people and I was probably being unrealistic to think that they were going to change their ways for me especially on a Saturday night. They have their own problems. Aw well I will figure it out and in the meantime I have my OH. We have no children so we are very close and I count my blessings.(mostly!)

[Sunnyvalenting]

The old friends who never drop us

My friends are relieved that I don't drink any more. They were very worried about me. Some of them drink too much at times. Some drink "normally". They know I can't. It just works. There are a lot of things I can do that they can't. We are each unique. I am learning to play the hand I have been dealt and let them play theirs.
Sunny