When it comes to meetings, I come there to find solutions to the problems I experience in day to day living. For the most part I try and keep it centered around my alcoholism/drug addiction. The answers to the majority (all) of my problems can be found in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. The thing is I don't remember everything I read. This is what the meetings and this board are for. It's a reminder to me to keep doing the right thing. How else is there to live as an active member of A.A.?
I am here to share my experience, strength, and hope. I am also here to learn from other peoples experience and hopefully gain strength and hope from others. This is what the program is all about. Yes, it is a we program. Alone I am nothing. With the help of A.A. I have the chance to become a better, more functional person. I come to meetings to stay sober. Outside of meetings is my chance to take the program into the real world and practice the principles of this program.
When it comes to A.A. and this message board I need to keep it real. Only by doing this will I get help and help others in return. This is where it becomes personal. If I don't talk about me in here and talk about what's really going on, I don't think I'm working a program. I am not an A.A. instructor, nor do I try to be. All I know is what I've learned from being a drunk and from my times in the program.
There is a time for fun and games. That's part of A.A. naturally! Enjoy life for what it is! The thing is I can't enjoy anything if I'm not looking at myself and my actions. I need to be sure that what I'm doing is alright when it comes to my conscience. I go to bed with a clear conscience most every night. I am not harboring resentments today. I am not angry, irritable, and discontented today. This is today though. Tomorrow could be a different story. There is no cure for alcoholism and I hope there never is. This is a program to find out what right living is all about. When I'm doing this the rewards are never-ending. This is where the hope comes in. Fear no longer keeps me from doing things. I feel able to set goals and know that I will accomplish them. When I first got sober my sponsor asked me if I was willing to do WHATEVER IT TAKES TO STAY SOBER. I said yes. Am I holding my end of the bargain up? I guess that's left to be seen!
Part of this bargain is to work the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. I'm almost done with step four, thank god! I am no longer making excuses not to do it. I don't think I can stay sober without the steps. Hope I never do feel that way again! Pretty scary when my thinking goes south like that.
It truly is a great day to be sober. Life is good today. And what's cool about that is, I haven't seen nothing yet. More will be revealed later!
I need to be working my steps every day... and stay in the middle of the program, not on the outskirts.
I am so glad I, too can have fun in sobriety. But when it's time to work, it's time to work. Bullsh*t will get me nowhere!!
I too am grateful for this site. I have had some rough times lately and just being able to share my feelings when my support group are busy or at work is a real blessing.
