Catapulted

[nandm]

Trembling, I stepped...a broken man. Fear sobered me for a bit. Then came the insidious insanity of that first drink,... ....How dark it was before the dawn! In reality that was the beginning of my last debauch. I was soon to be catapulted into what I like to call the fourth dimension of existence. I was to know happiness, peace, and usefulness, in a way of life that is incredibly more wonderful as time passes. Big Book, page 8, Bill's Story)

More is required to recover from alcoholism than the first step. The fear of the certain consequences of drinking may keep us sober for varying lengths of time. Many of us never want to forget how horrible the last days of our drinking were, but reliance on our memories to keep us sober rarely works for long. The proof of this is that we continue to drink long after we realize the damage drinking has caused in our lives and to our health.

The inability to stop based solely on our knowledge of the consequences is described many times in the Big Book. The authors describe this as the insidious insanity of the first drink. (pages 24, 26, 40, 43, and 154).

The image of being catapulted is one of no return. Once the rope is cut we are on our way. We cannot imagine the life we will find. Until we experience it, we believe that this way of life is unavailable to us.

We learn this new way of life by practicing the program of action outlined in the Big Book. The results of the way we are living now should make us willing to change. The author's promise of happiness, peace, and usefulness are in stark contrast with our alcoholic life.

8 years ago today I came into the rooms of AA. What I received was hope. Hope that life could be lived without the insanity, misery, pain, and fear that I could not seem to escape. Since then I have not had to take a drink.

Today through the practice and application of this program of action I have found the happiness, peace, and usefulness promised. Even with the hope I received in that first meeting I could not even conceive the blessings that come my way as the result of the program of AA.

Today I am eternally grateful for the people who walked before me and kept the doors of AA open. I pray for those that walk into the rooms today and each day that they will find the hope and courage to apply the principles of this program in their lives. A new life is more than just a dream, it can be a reality if one just continues to work for it.

[nandm]

Thank you AA and those that have kept coming back for 8 years of continued sobriety.

[CarolD]

Thanks for sharing your victory with us....