Weekly AA Thread Feb. 28 - Mar. 6

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread Feb. 28 - Mar. 6

On Complacency: My sponsor w/23 years if sobriety says that she is closer to the next drink than the newcomer w/23 hours of sobriety. After not drinking for a number of years, it's easy to think: "Well, now I can handle it." I too feel so much better physically, emotionally, & spiritually wo/any AL in my system. I can't imagine screwing w/that by drinking. So, I continue to pray daily for the strength to not pick up a drink today. I also say it out loud at as many meetings, phone calls, coffee meet-ups, etc. as I can. Saying I'm not going to drink today out loud strengthens my resolve for at least this 24 hours. Mary

[cpn1004]

Weekly AA Thread Feb. 28 - Mar. 6

Good words Mary. Thanks for your contributions to this group.

[Doggygirl]

Weekly AA Thread Feb. 28 - Mar. 6

Hi everyone! I just love the posts on this thread. Phil, I'm with you. Things have been a little hectic lately and I haven't been in touch with this thread quite as much. I need to re-group and make sure my priorities are right every day. 1. Sobriety 2. Everything else. Without #1, I can't have #2.

I absolutely love todays Daily Reflections reading:

Daily Reflections

WEEDING THE GARDEN
The essence of all growth is a willingness to make a
change for the better and then an unremitting
willingness to shoulder whatever responsibility this
entails.
AS BILL SEES IT, p. 115

By the time I had reached Step Three I had been freed
of my dependence on alcohol, but bitter experience has
shown me that continuous sobriety requires continuous
effort. Every now and then I pause to take a good look
at my progress. More and more of my garden is weeded
each time I look, but each time I also find new weeds
sprouting where I thought I had made my final pass with
the blade. As I head back to get the newly sprouted
weed (it's easier when they are young), I take a moment
to admire how lush the growing vegetables and flowers
are, and my labors are rewarded. My sobriety grows and
bears fruit.

(emphasis mine)

I started gardening when I got sober. Several huge realizations came to me in my vegetable garden. Understanding my powerlessness was one of them. I realized I am just as powerless over the weather as I am over AL. That might seems pretty obvious to most people, but for me - I was SO confused that "powerless" meant "not responsible." I struggled to get past that. One day in my garden it just clicked that "powerless" and "responsible" are two different things. I can't make it rain any more than I can stop drinking if I take the first drink. That doesn't make me irresponsible. I can tend my plants and pull the weeds day in and day out until the cows come home (responsibility) but being responsible for the weeds is not going to give me the power to make it rain.

That was so huge for me.

I went to a business dinner last night. Like you Mary, watching normal drinkers just fills me with wonder. I wonder how they do that??? :H Mr. Doggy ordered a beer and didn't finish all of it. One lady ordered a second drink and commented that she was really "cutting loose." :H There were a couple people who ordered a drink and never even touched it. (for show???) I was perfectly happy with my Diet Coke and my water. The blackened Tilapia was fabulous. We don't eat out much so I thoroughly enjoyed the food. We had some wondreful laughs as well! Lots of fun. A few of us were talking that we should form a little dinner group to go out once a month and explore some of the hole in the wall type places around town. There is a significant Hispanic population here, and we are always hearing about some great places that are "off the beaten path." That would be fun. Not something I would have been ready for even a year ago.

Catch, I'm with you. I can now go out to dinner with moderate drinkers and enjoy myself, and not feel any urges. But I have no interest in hanging out with people who are just drinking to get a buzz. Why would I want to watch that?

Well, gotta zoom zoom for the day. Thanks for letting me share today in sandwich proportions.

DG

[Cherbear]

Weekly AA Thread Feb. 28 - Mar. 6

Good Morning everyone,

Need to make amends to hubby today.. having a VERY emotional day, not sure why, I'm definetly heading to an AA meeting at noon. need it bad. But to reflect, at least I'm not thinking "can't wait to have that wine that I deserve because I'm so pissed at life right now." The usual thoughts I always had.
Giving myself permission to be emotional was not something I did. I'm not a horrible person because occasionally I have feelings that aren't always happy,

Just rambling today but I love this thread because I KNOW you guys understand.
I need a new sponsor.

Cheri

[dancelot]

Weekly AA Thread Feb. 28 - Mar. 6

Hi everyone -

I went to a great women's meeting today. It was on sponsors and sponsorship. A lot of insights from members with a wide range of sober time, from 20+ years to less than a month. As usual, it was exactly what I needed to hear. It got me thinking about if I am working my program as well as I should. This last week - probably not! I need to remember to utilize my sponsor, not just for step work, but for running ideas by, or voicing my concerns about life in general. I still have that subconscious "I can or have to do this myself" mentality. About everything. I need to practice reaching out.

I'm doing a lot better as far as getting involved, getting to know more people, and getting to know others better. I'm going to several small cohesive meetings (ones where pretty much the same people show up every week). I like the smaller meetings for their more intimate feel. I started going to a meeting one of the women holds at her house (not an "official" AA meeting where it's a little more relaxed). I really am liking that one, and getting to know a small core group.

Congratulations Kimberly on your 2 month chip - I love chip night! It is wonderful to see progress being made, whether it's a week, a month, a year, whatever. It is always uplifting. I've found I really enjoy birthday night for that reason.

Uni, congrats on doing your 3rd step! I'm about to finish my 1st (as far as step work I mean - I know I am definitely powerless over alcohol - and life is still unmanageable - but it'll get there!).

Have a great weekend all!

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread Feb. 28 - Mar. 6

We're going over to an AA friend's home for dinner tonight. There probably won't be any wine served, as most of us are alcoholics. It'll be fun.

I'm really trying to make those connections w/people in & out of the program. My tendency is to want to stay home & chill by myself. However, I'm learning that some of that is:
-self-centered fear
-wanting to isloate
-not wanting to go out of my comfort zone
-etc.

Take care one & all.
Mary