Saturday, February 14, 2009

Maybe you are a quart low...

If you come to AA meetings and whine about how hard it is to write a 4th step.  
If you think being sober is a hardship.
If you think your sponsor is someone put on earth to make your life miserable.
If you think coming to an AA meeting is a duty or obligation.
If you think "reaching out" to a room full of alkies is something to pat yourself on the back for.
If you are busy figuring out what is wrong with "them."

Maybe you need to have another drink, or a thousand, a drunken day or decade to wear you down.

On the other hand, you just might be ready for the miracle...
If  you are grateful for the steps as a way out of a life of misery.
If you are grateful for every sober breath you take.
If you are grateful and amazed that another sober person would take the time to help you with this journey.
If you look forward to each meeting because you want to see your friends.
If you are thrilled that a room full of people who understand actually listen to you and ask you to keep coming back.
If you are so busy working on yourself, you haven't got time to figure out what is wrong with others.  

I don't think there is anything in AA that can make the difference in these attitudes.  Alcohol is the thing that will make you desperate for change.  It will make you grateful for the blessings of a sober life.  It will make you do things that cause people to shun you, and then you can be really grateful for a fellowship that welcomes you.  

"...I can give thanks for present pain nevertheless. I find the willingness to do this by contemplating the lessons learned from past suffering -- lessons which have led to the blessings I now enjoy. I can remember how the agonies of alcoholism, the pain of rebellion and thwarted pride, have often led me to God's grace, and so to a new freedom." -- As Bill Sees It, p. 266

5 comments:

Scott W said...

w o w

Thanks.

dAAve said...

I can't imagine having that first set of feelings. If I did, I'd be right back on my favorite barstool. And believe me, I had plenty of favorite barstools.

Syd said...

I'm glad that so many people I know are in the second group. Hope that you had a good day.

steveroni said...

Often I'll hear a guy say "A.A. just didn't work for me".

And my answer is, "A.A. didn't work for me, either. ALCOHOL was what got me sober, and helps to keep me sober".

I'm a 'groupie' in the 2nd group!

Banana Girl said...

So perfectly true. Thank you. I have tried from day one to surround myself with the people in the second group. It works, especially the miracles. J.