Don't Drink - No Matter WHAT.

[Emimily]

i just responded to a post from someone with ten days sober (vinnie?) who really wants to have a drink. i ended it with "and i don't drink - no matter WHAT."

this has been on my mind lately, as i've been going through hell and have been hitting at least one meeting a day (usually 2). i've surrounded myself with folks with great programs, i've been praying every day, i've finally turned EVERYTHING over to god, i've talked to my sponsor and followed her suggestions, i've worked with both my sponsees, etc. etc. basically, i've catapulted myself back into the middle of AA because i know, in my heart of hearts, that drinking won't help anything.

do i want to drink? not really. i want to numb out, sure, but i know without a doubt that things will change. my current circumstances are always ALWAYS changing, and if i'm going through a lot of pain right now, the best thing for me to do is keep going. keep myself humbled, accept god's grace whenever it presents itself (it always does), and don't pick up, no matter WHAT.

i'm watching someone that worked an excellent program slip away because he's going through hell. he's in intense pain, his heart is breaking, and he drank. i don't know what he'll do now, i pray for him and i hope against hope that he keeps this short and comes back to the rooms and to a better way of living, but if he doesn't i'll stay sober because (just for today) i'll stay sober no matter WHAT.

sobriety affords me the ability to work THROUGH my feelings, instead of working around them. yeah, i'm sad, so what? i'm not gonna get drunk over it. i'm lonely, so what? i'm bored/angry/jealous/etc., SO WHAT? for me, drinking is not an option today.

sorry this was so passionate, i'm just feeling incredibly grateful for my sobriety today. thank you, god, for giving me a life worth living.

[caraway]

Thanks for reminding me of the importance of a good program and for being so positive during a difficult time. You're a great example of AA in practice!

[Tazman53]

I noticed you mentioned having sponsees, when all else fails grab a newcomer!

When I first got sober I wondered how in the world some folks in the rooms got through some hellacious situtaions in their lifes with out drinking!!!!

Well I like you all have found it is 2 fold the way they did it, they did not drink no matter what and they continued to work thier programs!!! They had worked all 12 steps and were practicing all the priciples they learned in the day to day lifes!

Working the steps and living them allowed them to walk through the problems life threw at them rather then trying to drink them into oblivion and coming to and seeing that the same problems were still there only worse.