I drove across town to be at my home group this morning. It is an old friend's 27th birthday. I remember when he came in - literally - I remember his first meeting. He was my (at that time) sponsor's ex-husband and I was very happy to see him walk into the meeting that day. And twenty-seven years later, I am still happy to see him - anywhere. It was another friend's 31st birthday. We are all older now, but we are all still sober. And I have to tell you, we were not the holier than thou folks at meetings who know everything and have everyone's answers. We were nuts. But we took the program seriously, and hung in there, and now we get to be relatively sane older folks who have been sober for a while. And that, my friends, is a good deal.
As people shared in the meeting, it seemed to be the consensus that 2012 is going to be a great year. I know I am looking forward to it. I have no idea what it will bring, but I am grateful to be facing it sober and with a trust and faith in God.
And then, because it is my nature to be serious when others are light-hearted, I just want to say: I have had many new readers and anonymous comments in the last few days. This is the time of year when people resolve to get sober - and read the first paragraph before you dismiss their efforts! People have come here looking for help. I hope the fact that I have shared my experience, strength, and hope is some small comfort to someone looking for hope. But, I feel I must stress that the place to go for real help is your local AA group. There are very few people in the world who are so situated that they can't get to a meeting, they have their own ways of finding fellowship - I learned that here on this blog. Most people, however, have an AA group in their own city, town, or even neighborhood. Avail yourself of this wonderful life-saving resource.
We bloggers are not any kind of special alcoholics who have the answers. We are just fond of writing and fond of the special fellowship we have found here. We get the spiritual "stuff" we write about on our blogs from our own local fellowship. Don't deprive yourself of this. It is the highlight of our lives.
I am grateful, grateful, grateful to be looking at the clean slate of another year started sober. I hope it is a sober day for you too. And if you are hungover and happen to read this, this could be your real true sobriety date. What a great one to have.
"Abandon yourself to God as you understand God. Admit your faults to Him and to you fellows. Clear away the wreckage of your past. Give freely of what you find and join us. We shall be with you in the Fellowship of the Spirit, and you will surely meet some of us as you trudge the Road of Happy Destiny. May God bless you and keep you - until then." -- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 164
14 comments:
Blogging really has been a special part of my recovery. We are fewer than before, but that's OK. I'd love to see some new bloggers who are serious about recovery.
In the meantime, 2012 looks pretty good.
So glad that I began the blogging journey and have so benefitted from the recovery in the rooms and whatbi read here. I wish more people would take the steps to get to meetings, get a sponsor and work the steps. It is a miracle.
I always liked that "road to happy destiny" phrase. I imagined people skipping along, laughing and carefree. I want to go there, and I don't drink. Just sayin'
Happy New Year! As a new sober blogger I truly appreciate reading everyone else's blogs on here. As you said, it is definitely not a substitute for a meeting and being in a "real life" recovery community. However, I truly enjoy sharing everyone else's journey with them via the web. So thanks for blogging and sharing!
I have been reading your BLOG for a few months now (and have commenced my own. Thank you I have found it inspirational. I feel my problem is somewhat different because I want to keep it a secret (from everyone. Maybe one day I will have to take my husband into my confidence, but that is a whole other story!
And I'm still glad I found you almost six years ago. I'm still reading, even though I don't note every entry.
Mary Christine, I couldn't agree more. Although I am now living in a remote area without meetings, I got sober in a city where I walked or took taxis to meetings and that is how I got sober, wanting what other sober alcoholics had, embedding myself in sober community. Nothing can substitute for flesh-and-blood face-to-face connections with others at a meeting.
So glad I stopped in to read this - today - all of it, everything... Happy New Year :) .
I needed the touch of people. I needed some hugs in the begining to feel like I was even worth the trouble. And I had no idea what the program was about until I started listening to people in meetings. "Wait..we can't drink AT ALL?" LOL
:) This journey really is special! :)
Nice post! And as someone who quit drinking using an online resource--I can say that although I am grateful beyond measure for the love and support my now dear email friends have (and continue to) give me, it doesn't replace face2face AA meetings.
By the way, I did get a sponsor (a couple weeks ago) and she's already got me doing some writing that requires uncomfortably honest soul searching. Sigh.
I have no doubt that it's work that will benefit me in the end, but I'm finding that going to AA meetings and doing this writing has--even though it's been a year since I drank--got me feeling a little raw and vulnerable again, like I felt when I first quit.
2011 saw me learn to live without ETOH and also open myself back up to my husband and my friends--which after years of drinking and lying and hiding was both wonderful and uncomfortable. Now, I'm beginning to have a feeling that 2012 is also going to be a growth-filled year for me. Not so sure I'm looking forward to THAT. Hahaha!!
I love that part of pg 164! They read the end of a meeting that I counted days in, I still LOVE the visual I get of trudging a road of happy destiny.
I was at a friends 26th last night. She was a great strength when I came in and still is... she is a great example of "progress not perfection" as she readily tells me
I can really relate and agree with you... "We get the spiritual "stuff" we write about on our blogs from our own local fellowship. Don't deprive yourself of this. It is the highlight of our lives."
Blogging has been a wonderful extenstion to my recovery. It is helping me find my voice; in my writing, in my fellowship, and my everyday life.
I am also look forward to 2012!
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