November AA Thread

[retteacher]

November AA Thread

BG: I too know many people who have died of this disease. In my case, it was a slow death. I know it would have happened. I was dead spiritually when I came into AA 4 years ago. Some people just don't get it...those of us "who are incapable of being honest w/ourselves." Yes, I finally had to admit it! I am an alcoholic.

Also, congrats on the 13 months. It sure is an accomplishment. When I passed the 1st year after my relapse, I felt something shift. A shift for the better. I too have had some things I could have drunk over. What would that have accomplished? Only would have made matters worse. Mary

[broken halo]

November AA Thread

hello bettygirl, well done on your 13 months! I am so sorry to hear about your friend, alcohol is responsible for far too many people dying young. So tragic.

Some people just don't get it...those of us "who are incapable of being honest w/ourselves." Yes, I finally had to admit it! I am an alcoholic.

Mary, I kidded myself for so long, it was pathetic. When I finally fully admitted it to myself is when I reached out to AA. Just before I made that call I had looked in the mirror and there was no denying it any longer. Actually after I did admit it to myself and others in the fellowship, I felt kind of lighter.

I was at a meeting tonight, the two guys on the top table had 23 years and 19 years sobriety. One of them said to me 'it's a simple program, it's not easy, but it's simple.'

I said I hadn't start on the twelve steps yet and he said 'sure you have. You have done step 1 already.' That made me smile.

GG, how are you getting on with your meetings? Did you join a group yet?

I am grateful for this thread, it's good to be able to talk about my AA experience and hear how others have found it. I am very glad to be going to bed sober tonight. Best wishes all xx

[retteacher]

November AA Thread

BH: Yes, it's said that the first step is the only one we have to do perfectly. With all the others, it's progress not perfection. I too could not get sober until I could admit I was an alcoholic & couldn't drink safely. My wall of denial was very, very thick. I just thank God that I could break through. Mary

[sunshine_gg]

November AA Thread

Hello ladies!

Just got back from a meeting.. this one can be quite big and run a bit longer

I will sign into my home group on Monday... last Monday, by the time I spoke to the chair person, the book was already put away.

I ended up missing the end of the meeting tonight... beside me sat an older gentleman who had had a stroke and seemed very shaky when he tried to get up. Turned out, he needed to use the wash room, so I walked with him, and then walked him out to his vehicle.

I also have a sponsor, as of tonight

Halo... I, too, could not bring myself to even say 'Alcoholic' out loud prior to this last episode. However, I really can't pretend any longer.. I am an alcoholic. And, I will be an alcoholic, living well. In time.

[retteacher]

November AA Thread

Whenever I question myself about whether or not I'm an alcoholic, I think about the way normal people drink. They have one, two, maybe three. They do not drink whole bottles at a time. If you handed them a bottle of wine & said: "Drink this whole thing tonight," they'd be appalled. Also, they do not center their whole lives around when, where, & how they are going to drink. They don't even think about it. My husb is a normal drinker who has one or two in a whole evening out. He might even leave some in his glass. These are not things an alcoholic would do. Normal people also do not hide their drinking. They do not pour alcohol into coffee mugs or stash bottles around the house. The stinkin' thinkin' of "maybe I'm not so bad" has to go for me. It would lead me straight into a relapse. Mary

[retteacher]

November AA Thread

Wonderful very emotional meeting tonight. Feel great right now. So happy to be sober.

We're going to Florida to visit relatives. Won't be on-line for about 2 weeks. Mary

[Determinator]

November AA Thread

Mary, enjoy your trip

Betty, so sorry to hear about your friends loss to this horrid disease.

well, had to get my welcome chip all over again today. back on day 2 again. arg! naturally it was the biggest Monday meeting I've ever attended. kind of funny I guess.

Broken Halo, nice to see you.

be well everyone

[Solitaire]

November AA Thread

Darling Det....
I sponsor a few people. I'd like to share 2 incidents this past week:
One sponsee, 33yo, married, 6yo child. Husband drinks (as in gets plastered most nights). I haven't seen her in 3 weeks, not at meetings nor for Step work. She just can not make a month! Long-timers taught me to carry the message not the alkie.
The other lady took to our program like a duck to water! I did her 12 Step call, and she's been sober since April. She does service, we meet up regularly, etc.
Last Tuesday I got a call from her at 2pm. "I WANT A DRINK NOW!" she shouted.... Well... She hasn't had a drink and we are in contact often.... But she is in a bad space. Restless, irritable and discontented....
We read Bill's story together yesterday.
We ALL know what NOT to do, and yet....
Det, I know that it will be the same for me: as I finish that glass, I'd wonder how it got to my hand!
So, just for today, I will ask for help when needed, be there for others if needed, and give thanks for my sobriety.
Be strong, my friend! You know what to do....
Hugs xxx

[Determinator]

November AA Thread

Thank you dear Sol, you are an angel indeed. I do know what not to do. and I'm so grateful to be without a drink for 6/1/2 + months with only one day of failure. the alternative is saying 'screw it' and living in my blurry old days. so it's not perfect, but it's on the path. my goal is perfect sobriety and it continues..... xxxxx my loves.

[broken halo]

November AA Thread

Have a great time in Florida Mary, we'll miss you.

Det, good to see you too, how are you? Day 2 puts another bit of distance between you and your last drink and those blurry old days doesn't it?

Sol, thanks for sharing your experience. This program saves lives and it's people like you that are the backbone.

I was at a meeting last night, a 23rd birthday. The guy chairing was 25 years sober. It was a joyous affair with much laughter and I felt honoured to be a part of it. The reality of what AA is all about is becoming more apparent with every meeting I attend.

GG, I have joined a group but I don't have a sponsor yet. But I do know who I am going to ask when I am ready.

I hope all are well and have peace in their lives this day :l

[bettygirl]

November AA Thread

where my alkies at?

all is well here. I hope sunshine is ok...where are you, kid?

mary, soak up some warmth for me!

det, hang in feller...you know what they say, keep coming back...

halo, I recommend waiting to find a sponsor...it has to be right, imho...

sol, its summer in sa, right...or is it always summer there? enjoy!

I was at a meeting last night where a bunch of guys from a local mission go, and it was INTENSE! very good...very humbling, and a good reminder that this shit KILLS. losing my frined who was only 42 was also a reminder, a sad, horrible reminder that alcohol is cunning. baffling and POWERFUL. :l

xo

[Solitaire]

November AA Thread

Hi Betty! It is summer here.... Not that our winters require central heating or ski jackets!
Have a lovely week-end!
Today (Saturday), I am hostess (and caterer)for a dear friend who is celebrating his 50th.
He is also a self-confessed alcoholic and atheist.
We went shopping yesterday: 4 bottles of vodka, 2 x tequila, 2 x whiskey, 96 beers, some wine, etc... for 12 drinking people....
It's going to be a long day...
I am so grateful that the obsession to drink has been lifted!!!

DAILY REFLECTIONS
NOVEMBER 16th
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


A DAILY REPRIEVE

What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 85

Maintaining my spiritual condition is like working out every day, planning for the marathon, swimming laps, jogging. It's staying in good shape spiritually, and that requires prayer and meditation. The single most important way for me to improve my conscious contact with a Higher Power is to pray and meditate. I am as powerless over alcohol as I am to turn back the waves of the sea; no human force had the power to overcome my alcoholism. Now I am able to breathe the air of joy, happiness and wisdom. I have the power to love and react to events around me with the eyes of a faith in things that are not readily apparent. My daily reprieve means that, no matter how difficult or painful things appear today, I can draw on the power of the program to stay liberated from my cunning, baffling and powerful illness.

From the book Daily Reflections
? Copyright 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Hugs,
Sol xxx

[sunshine_gg]

November AA Thread

I'm here, I'm here.. sick as a dog and looking like a rag-a-muffin.. but here

Mary.. hope you're having a fabulous vacation. Soak up some extra Vit-D for the rest of us.
Sol.. thanks for sharing your experience as a sponsor.
Det.. how are you holding up?
Halo.. Glad you found a group! I guess there are two schools of thought on getting a sponsor. One is to wait until you are further in.. the other is to get going straight away. I opted to get going. I'm not good at waiting and I'm a 'fixer'.. if something is broken or not right, it ought to be fixed yesterday Plus, left to my own devices, I may not have the self-discipline to pick up my book(s) and delve in.

I sat down with my sponsor for the first time last Friday. We met up an hour before the meeting. It was good. She is such a wise and gentle soul. I'm quite confident that I've picked the right person. She told me about the many people she has seen come and go (and not return) and that it saddens her. She was one of the female pioneers in this area and she is thrilled to see more and more women show up.

K... gotta run, have lots of work to catch up on. We were without power for 16 hours Sun night/yesterday. Eeek!

[broken halo]

November AA Thread

Hi GG

I don't think there are any hard and fast rules about sponsors/groups etc. I know the lady who WILL be my sponsor already ( she knows it too) and when I am ready to start on the steps and the programme she will be the one to take me through it.

I am so glad you are happy with your sponsor. I was at a meeting on Wednesday which was very uplifting for me, but at the same time sad. Uplifting because of the guy who shared, he was amazing in telling his story. Sad because one of the ladies I met at the first meeting I was at had been drinking beforehand after a long period sober.

She has a lot going on in her life right now and hadn't been attending meetings. It gave me a lot of food for thought.

I am glad you are doing so well. AA is continuing to amaze and surprise me!

[sunshine_gg]

November AA Thread

Hello ladies (and Det? - where are you?)

Had a great meeting last night (Women's meeting, held at the women's shelter). It's very small right now because it's not an official AA group (yet) and it is very much open to all women who may be in a difficult spot. The group leader and myself are often the only alkies there. There's a young girl who's suicidal and there was another lady there last night, who needs some space from an abusive relationship. We read step/chapter one again (this is from the book 'A woman's way through the 12 steps) and found that each of us took something away from it.

At this meeting, we kinda do a week in review.. and what's in our head the day of the meeting. I blurted out how apprehensive I am about Mr. Sun's youngest son coming 'home' for a few months (as he does every year). It's not that I don't like him or like having him around, but it is added financial strain on me. After the meeting I went home and took a deep breath and told Mr. Sun about my fretting. He said he completely understood and we would all sit down and the two of them would pitch in so that I won't have any additional expenses.

My drinking is in large part linked to my inability (or unwillingness) to communicate. I detest confrontation and will go out of my way to avoid it. The result is, that I keep everything bottled up (pardon the pun) until I need to escape. I have to change that. Baby steps.