What's the best gift AA has given you?

[needtobefree]

Apart from sobriety that is, lol.

I'm curious, I'm going to start AA with a vengeance next week. For now I'm wondering how AA has helped the members here achieve sobriety? Is there anything specific that stands out as key to your recovery?

[miss communicat]

honesty
openmindedness
willingness


these things i never had, and today, because of becoming honest, I feel integrity in my life. because of openmindedness, i feel more peaceful. and, with willingness rather than willfulness, i am given greater spiritual strength and grace.

good luck to you!

[BaldHeadedJohn]

The knowledge that I'm not alone in this. The security of knowing help and understanding is there for me. A sense of connection with the human race (I really lost that feeling when I was drinking). The opportunity to be of service, even in small ways, to others.

[CarolD]

A solid relationship with God

A re connection with my family.

A blueprint for living sober with joy.

A purpose and direction that allows me serenity.

I do hope you too will find recovery.

[stone]

Originally Posted by BaldHeadedJohn

A sense of connection with the human race (I really lost that feeling when I was drinking).

I can relate to that!

What a good question! Great answers too. (apart from mine! lol)

[Gmoney]

12 Steps.

[best]

Those who shared from what they knew helped me understand that what I was doing was a slow death and that I should stop for my own good.
When you drink....
and they would help me see the negatives that my drinking brought about.
I never had handcuffs on while sober.

So what have a gained from my eyes being opened?

My whole life and being sober to enjoy every wonderful moment or sober so I could deal with the moments that were not so wonderful. Drinking never solved a thing for me...it only added to my problems.

[barb dwyer]

More than I've given AA

[Signal30]

Gratitude, a better relationship with God, a life I can deal with, acceptance, humility, happiness, self esteem, patience, and I'm actually starting to trust people a little more.


The list could go on and on.

Tom

[Music]

Ditto to everything that's been said so far. I drank for the first time when I was 18. I can still remember the feeling I had that very first time. I felt like I'd found the answer to my problems and insecurities. It was like I'd found a peice of the puzzle. As time went on, my drinking created more holes that needed to be filled with pieces that just wouldn't fit. I drifted away from any belief I'd ever had in God or any kind of higher power. When I came to AA, I began to find more pieces of the puzzle, but there was still one piece that just wouldn't fit. This past April at Easter, I was confirmed into the catholic church. I was brought up Methodist, but through AA, I found a higher power, which led me back to organized religion and I chose to become a catholic. It's been said, and the Big Book states that every human being is born with a fundimental belief in God. Going back to church has given me another new family and a group of friends outside of AA which has helped me to fit another piece into the puzzle. I'm excited and energized just like I was when I entered AA and began to find answers. I feel closer to God than I ever have. To receive God's grace is to receive an undeserved gift. All I had to do was make a decision to believe and exercise faith. I was like a lot of alcoholics I know in that I used to think that churches were just filled with a bunch of hypocrites. Now I know there's always room for one more.

[gr8tful2day]

No matter how tough the going gets, I always have the tools to get through...sometimes I dont think Im gonna make it and then the clouds part and the sun shines. I have learned that no matter how tough things get they will get better, and that I always have god, the fellowship and the ability to change! I love being sober today..I have just come through a really tough patch at a little over 5 years of continuous recovery and I am stronger, happier and more grateful than ever before. I sometimes wonder if the challenges in my life occur so that I can strenghthen my relationship with the Power. God Bless AA, and Alanon, heres to the journey!
L

[Zanthos]

A human being I don't mind being. And a life I like living.

[GlassPrisoner]

Serenity.....

[parentrecovers]

alanon and the 12 steps gives me a new way to think and act. it gives me compassion. and more choices.

and a lot more good night's sleeps!

great thread! k

[Debaucher]

I was rediculasly depressed when I quit drinking... I felt like crawling into a dark corner and crying myself to a permanent sleep... I just needed to go someplace I didn't feel so much shame... alone...

At an AA meeting I felt comfortable in my own skin... there were people strugling with the same stuff I was going through... it was so comforting to know I wasn't experiencing something new... that these folks had been there and done that! and WTF they are happy today... and they are reaching out there hand and want to help me... (kind of weirded me out at first but it felt good so and I needed help)...

I don't think I could have quit on my own. I tried it many times and always failed...

AA helped me stay sober enough to read the first 2 steps... and believe them...

AA helped me to repair my relationship with God... and everything else has fallen into line since then...

um... just wanted to add that all the steps are important but for me it seamed like once I got the first 2 in my head I was rolling down a hill and the momentum was too great from me to stop...

[needtobefree]

Hey thanks everyone for your feedback. It's so interesting to see how AA has helped everyone. I'm really looking forward to starting up AA now. I might even go tonight, it's just occurred to me that I'll be free to do that.

I think in some respects I'm already working on the first step. That acceptance that I am powerless once I start to drink is huge, that and the realisation that life is harder with alcohol than it is without.

Thank you so much for all your responces. I'm looking forward to going tonight now :0)

[NOMOMERLOTMAMMA]

Humility. (Funny how each time I'm in the room, there are a whole bunch of folks who think they are JUST AS SPECIAL as I thought I WAS. It's a lesson that I hear over and over...how could I have been soo very self involved???!! )Hope. Compassion. Strength. Surrender.

[SaTiT]

A new pair of glasses to see life through.

[needtobefree]

Thanks again :0) I went to the meeting last night, there were more members there than the first one, about ten I suppose. It was interesting although most of the ppl didn't seem to stick to the topic raised (how not to take the first drink - which I suggested) during sharing, which was kinda frustrating because I needed to hear that at the moment.

[needtobefree]

Originally Posted by SaTiT

A new pair of glasses to see life through.

Funny enough, I'm getting a new pair on Monday :0)

[GlassPrisoner]

It was interesting although most of the ppl didn't seem to stick to the topic raised (how not to take the first drink - which I suggested) during sharing, which was kinda frustrating because I needed to hear that at the moment.

Meetings are dynamic. Personally, I prefer the less structured ones, as long as we talk about recovery, and living life on life's terms.

Sounds like you've learned how to listen. That's a very good skill to have. I share, but infrequently. Mostly I listen intently.

[Spiritual Seeker]

AA- when I listen I understand my AS better and it gives me hope, because ppl do recover from addiction

[aasharon90]

Continuing to be teachable.

It doesnt matter the number
of yrs sober or clean time one
has....We are all one drink or pill
away from a drunk or relapse
unless we forever follow the
principles of recovery set
down before us.

Living life on lifes terms.

Hi Im Sharon and Im an
alcoholic.

By the Grace of my HP
I havent had a drink of
alcohol since 8-11-90.

For that and u I am
truely grateful.

Thanks for letting me share.

[needtobefree]

Thanks again folks :0)

Meetings are dynamic. Personally, I prefer the less structured ones, as long as we talk about recovery, and living life on life's terms.

Sounds like you've learned how to listen. That's a very good skill to have. I share, but infrequently. Mostly I listen intently.

I experienced that this evening at the new meeting I went to. It was great, I really enjoyed it and it was less structured, the sharing was awesome.

Spritual Seeker - whats AS? I need to learn these anacronyms.

aasharon90 - the group leader/chairman was talking to me about the Continuing to be teachable aspect of AA after the meeting, he's been in AA for 25 years :0)

[Tazman53]

For me life itself, in less then a year, thanks to my HP, the fellowship, working and living all 12 steps to the best of my ability I have gone in less then a year from a man standing on the edge of a cliff after a 40 year drinking career ready to step off into the abyss of having nothing but my bottle drinking myself to death to a man who feels as though I am standing on top of a mountain living life on lifes terms while being sober, happy, joyous and free!

The above are the best words I can come up with to describe what AA has done for me and continues to do for me as long as I maintain my spiritual condition properly.