Discovered this board a while ago, I have been posting on the Alanon board for a while but not this one, so I thought I'd say hello. I am a sober member of AA, and also active in Alanon.
I was thinking about my last drink (so far!) and how at the time, I had no idea it was my last drink. I had never attempted to quit drinking before, other than for a week or two, and had never been to AA. The next day, through some twists of fate, I ended up at an AA meeting. They said don't drink today, and come back tomorrow. So... that's what I did.
I wonder if I had planned my last drink - as in - I'll finish this 12 pack and go to AA tomorrow - if I ever would have made it to AA at all.
For my first few weeks, I didn't really believe I'd stay sober. I figured I'd dry out for a few weeks or months and then returned to my old "controlled drinking" LOL. Fortunately I stuck around long enough to learn that it probably wouldn't turn out that way.
As you sometimes hear - I kept coming until it was fun, then kept coming because it was fun. I came because I needed it, I stayed because I wanted it.
Grateful to have this forum to share and communicate with other alcoholics 24/7.
It's nice to 'meet' you here. I discovered this forum a little while ago and it really adds to the quality of my sobriety. I do hope that you'll stay around and read/post as much as you want.
Your post made me think of the last time that I really drank. I didn't know at the time that it was going to be my last, but I knew that my drinking was completely out of control and I had to do something about it. I had tried to stop before, but I simply couldn't do it on my own.
I have been back in AA for just over a year and my life keeps getting better by the day. So many things are happening to me now that I never thought possible. I am so truly grateful to AA and to all of the fantastic people that I have been fortunate enough to meet. I really love my meetings now and I'm more than happy to keep coming back!
Thank you for your share and prompting me think back.
Take care,
Carol
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. ~Dr. Seuss
I've known some people who came to AA after going to Alanon first... and doing a self-diagnosis. I came to AA first, although qualified for Alanon before I ever took my first drink. The way things worked, AA was what I needed most and certainly felt most at home with. It took a long time to be comfortable in Alanon.
It's interesting to see the "newbie" next to my name. It's nice to be a newbie. I like to go to out of town meetings and in a week or so, I will have the opportunity to do so again someplace on the middle east coast of Florida. I remember one of the "oldtimers" when I first came on board - who was blunt and dry but said a lot of stuff I took to heart. He was a plain talker and seemed like he had been around several years. I recently heard him speak and he gave his sobriety date.... when I first met this "oldtimer", he had a total of 37 days sober LOL. Which was about what I needed to hear about. When you're new, you don't really need a live telecast from the summit - just a firm hand from one rung above you.
It just occurred to me that we all qualify for both AA and alanon. The thing that qualifies us for alanon is.... each other here in AA make us 'friends of alcoholic', and we have to deal with each other, right? I come to AA to learn how to deal with me,,, and to alanon to learn how to deal with you? lol
The other thing is,, that it's the same Steps and same principles in both. Focus on my self, let go and let God, etc.
love in all kinds of recovery,
amanda
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do your best and God does the rest, a step at a time
Like you I never planned my last drink. Somehow in a Jameson induced stupor I staggered into a meeting. I had no plans to get sober when I went out that evening, in fact had never really seriously considered it. I'm so glad I did make the meeting. I drank the next two nights but went to meetings both times. I haven't had a drink since. That was almost eleven years ago. Life is good. Thanks for the great post. Mike in Boston
