Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 15 - 22

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 15 - 22

BettyG: Regarding a sponsor: I tried going to different meetings. I found someone w/many years of sobriety. She is active in AA, has worked the steps formally , & was willing to take me through the steps. I think the ability & willingness to take someone through the 12 steps of AA is a requisite for being a sponsor. It might take a while, but you'll find someone. You don't have to feel like she will be your best friend or a shoulder to cry on. She should be someone w/experience & knowledge of AA. Does that help?

Yes, I was a hider of my drinking, & I was very good at it. Even in the relpase, my husb missed many of the signs. My AA friends would have known if I was dumb enough to be under the influence in front of them. I'd have to say that the lying, hiding, & betrayal were the worst parts of the disease for me. Worse even than the hangovers. It made me spiritually sick.

Take care one & all. I'm very grateful that some real life was breathed into this thread. It's wonderful, whether you go to AA or not.

Mary

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 15 - 22

nurdl: welcome. m

[Doggygirl]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 15 - 22

WOW!! I figured on a quick pop in and look what I find!! All this wonderful posting!!! :l:h

Gina - so sorry to hear about the MOLD!! :egad: Hope all is repaired and in good order soon.

Welcome nurdl and congrats on 45 days!!!

Welcome bettygirl!!! I have had 3 different sponsors now, and one step coach. At first it seemed really scary to find a sponsor! If there is someone you has a bit of sober time, and you feel like you "want what that person has" then you should go ahead and ask. It is common around my neck of the woods anyway for people to establish a "temporary sponsor" agreement just to make sure things work out.

Molly - I think it's awesome you are chairing tomorrow! :b&d: what do you mean you don't feel qualified to post?????? If you drank too much, then you are qualified LOL!

Pq - SNOW?????? Wow time is flying!

Mary - I'm so glad you are here.

Hello to anyone I missed! I have to run - I wish i could stay longer today!

DG

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 15 - 22

Molly: I usually feel a little nervous when it's my turn to share. I can feel my face heating up. I think it's probably "performance anxiety"...just another form of self-conscious fear. I try to keep the newcomer in mind: Am i saying something that might help? Am I expressing the principles of program? I'm an introvert & like to prepare my sharing in my mind beforehand. I envy those folks who can speak extemporaneously...even though they sometimes go on too long. Lately, because of my relapse, I've been just listening. Mary

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 15 - 22

Good for you Molly! Yay! M

[Doggygirl]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 15 - 22

Molly!!! :yougo::yougo: That first time is the hardest, I think. I bet it meant a lot to a newcomer to hear your story! I find something useful and uplifting in every single story I hear. I wish I could have been there to hear yours in person!

When I speak I always mention that I got my start on the path to sobriety through an internet forum.

I am grateful for the fellowship of AA and grateful that we also extend the fellowship here at My Way Out!

Happy Sunday one and all!

DG

[SAUSAGE]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 15 - 22

Molly - glad your meeting went well

Just curious, you say you understand MWO is frowned upon in AA / rehab circles?

Anybody else got any experience of this.....is it because it is not "real" i.e. face to face? Or do most of you AA'ers never mention it?

Am feeling a lot more positive this weekend - thanks to MWO and everyone's support.

[porqoui]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 15 - 22

Hey Molly just wanted to say :goodjob:
I too haven't shared MWO with the group, not sure how they would feel about it.
I do talk about MWO with my sponsor and a few close meeting friends and they are good with it. The only comment is that it's easy to isolate yourself using the internet and that's usually when I drank, alone and lonely.

Had one of those "sleepless" nights and really didn't want to go to my meeting today. I'm glad I did as it lifted the "funk" I was in.
We talked about FEAR and someone said what that stands for and I can't remember it. I know the F stands for FALSE. Have any of you heard it?

Have a safe and happy AF Sunday everyone.....PPQ

[bettygirl]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 15 - 22

molly, awesome!:goodjob: i'm scared of the day i am asked, but you made it a bit less scary!

i haven't gone to any meetings this weekend...ended up spending the day yesterday with my teenager, watching movies, eating pizza and popcorn and just having a nice time together. i havedn't had any scares regarding going to buy wine, but feel like if i don't get to one early tomorrow, things could slide down that slippery slope. so i will go , for sure! it was just really nice to hang around in pj's all day and cuddle with my girl...i'm glad she still wants to cuddle with her old ma! :H
that whole isolation thing is what i need to watch out for. i am a solitary drinker, and kind of a hermit (if i let myself be), not to mention i get a bit of the winter blues, so i must be pro-active and get out to meetings or i am doomed to start drinking again, and that is the last thing i want to do (nor could i survive).

hope evryone is having a nice peaceful sober day. i am going to walk my dogs on a nice 4 mile trail in the beautiful washington sunshine!

[bettygirl]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 15 - 22

wow, after writing that, i am having major cravings...guess i should stay here and ride them out...i took some kudzu and am making tea...better get out with the dogs and free my mind. they are subsiding now...eesh...cunning and powerful, i'll say.

[porqoui]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 15 - 22

Bettygirl...I think getting out with the dogs is an excellent idea.
I know getting out of the house, (went to my AA meeting) and out of myself changed my mood for today.
Some wise sole here said "A crave is just a wave"
So ride the wave, anyway you choose, but know it will pass.
:l...........PPQ

[bettygirl]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 15 - 22

indeed porquoi! got out for an hour and a half and hiked in the beautiful hills and canyons, breathed the fresh air and admired the clouds and sun playing peek-a-boo. i felt much better after that. but i can't lie, i still had thoughts of drinking. i talked to my dad and he really was insightful about aa (he isn't a drinker, but went to co-dependents anonymous back in the day), and said that in a way, aa or any group like that, is the higher power, if you let it be. i thought that was interesting...i am still searching for "my" group, and feeling a bit weird about the whole higher power thing (i was raised an atheist and have never even had any thoughts of god or higher powers...it just has never even crossed my mind! i never blamed anyone but myself for drinking, and certainly not "god"!). it seems the groups i have gone to are very christian, which is fine, but they almost laugh at people who haven't "gotten there" yet or who don;t have those beliefs...it does bother me, but i don;t want it to bother me so much that i quit aa...i need it! i just thought that aa was supposed to be non-denominational (is thata word?), and it seems like it's very christian...maybe it's just the groups that i've been to. i can certainly "take what i need and leave the rest" but it does weigh on my mind.

anyway, i will go to my usual 9 am meeting tomorrow and talk honestly about my hard time today.
i went to the store looking for loose leaf green tea and ended up buying ghiradelli double fudge brownies as well...a little chocolate and tea should send me into a nice coma for the rest of the evening!

nite all!

[bettygirl]

Weekly AA Thread - Oct. 15 - 22

ps i love that, "a crave is just a wave"...sometimes they are tsunamis! eek!