So close....

[recoveringnky]

Wow...what a weekend. Thank God it's over and I'm home safe and sound. For the first time, I was really afraid for my sobriety this weekend. I almost caved to the old way of life...almost. Thank God for my connection with Him, my sponsees, sponsor and close friends in AA and especially to those who have relapsed and came back and talked about...I especially thank God for them!!

Me, Shane (husband), Vance (son) and Gary (good friend of Shane's) went camping this weekend. It was "NASCAR weekend" at the campground...lots of decorations and such. The weather was beautiful. Some friends of ours were there camping as well. They have a really nice 5th wheel and they have a son that's my son's age. They are both only children, so they had someone to play with...keep each other company. Well, the friends are drinkers and I know this. We are not close enough friends that I am open about my alcoholism with them. I don't share that information with just everyone....just how I am I guess. Well, Shane wanted us to visit them a lot, play games and such. That was fine with me...however, the beer and the marguaritas were flying Saturday night. It was tough, but I managed through that night. I called my best AA buddy who was working 3rd shift and I knew he would be awake. I called my sponsees and my sponsor on Sunday. I forgot to bring my AA books with me, but I prayed alot. Now, Sunday night was different. Everyone was drinking, laughing, music playing loud...it almost sucked me back in. I kept hearing my friend's voice saying "don't get sucked back into that lifestyle". Then the other part of my brain said "oh, come on, just one won't hurt ya". I started crying and my husband took my hand and we walked back to our campsite. That internal stuggle was SO HARD. Thank God I didn't cave..... Thank God indeed!!

Today, I am back at work and was going to a noon meeting but we are extremely short staffed and I probably won't get a lunch today. I will get to a speaker meeting this evening. I listened to a CD of Dave M. giving his lead this morning on the way in to work. I'm starting to feel that AA connection again.

I really want to thank people like Hammer who go back out there, come back here and remind us that it doesn't get any better for us out there. You people save my life. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Thank God for AA, for sponsorship, for the fellowship and mostly thanks to AA for allowing me to have God back in my life.

Thanks for letting me share.

Hugs,
Kym

[The_Hammer]

...Yet so far, and that is the important thing. You also know that it is important for you to know that you rHP has done for yo what you could not do for yourself. These are our promises Kym.

I will be on my knees extra for you sweet spirit, for YOU ARE A VICTORY! Know this and the inspiration that you are to all f us who know and love you.

P>S. Alcohol; is "The Scorpion"

[Rarly Harley]

Kym: I am happy that you survived the weekend with your sobriety intact. You are an integral part of my sobriety, my Sister and I can still bring back to memory your smile and your radiance, that we all enjoyed last Labour Day at RFL 07'...I shudder to think that the disease that lives in all our heads, almost took you down...
This experience will be a valuable tool for your tool belt though and you will be able to share it with others on your journey. Hope you don't mind if I share some observations from my own recovery. The party season is upon us...
I always pack my Big Book and my morning and bedtime meditation books first, whenever I'm going somewhere. I never miss my morning prayers and readings, no matter where I am, or who I'm with. My sobriety comes first. If I'm going camping, I bring along recovery tapes or CD's and a battery operated player. I've sat on the beach alone and had an A.A. meeting all by myself. All I needed was a Grapevine and a speaker tape/CD.
Most importantly for me though, over and above this, I make sure I have an escape route and a plan. If I'm going to be with people that are drinking, (especially family), as soon as I feel the slightest twinge of discomfort, I'm outta there and I have transportation and somewhere to go. I am still very much a chameleon and I absorb the language and attitudes of the people around me. That is why I don't ever go to bars, for love nor money....I must always remember that my disease primarily lives in my mind and waits patiently for me to slack off on any of my recovery disciplines, so he can find an opening and start whispering to me, that (it's ok to have one)....

Love ya Kym.....Here's a pic of a buncha sober bikers that are happy that you didn't pick up.....

[The_Hammer]

We may be rough hewn, but the hearts are made of diamonds. An they all send up prayers for you and all the rest of us here. We share a common bond...

[recoveringnky]

Originally Posted by The_Hammer

P>S. Alcohol; is "The Scorpion"

Yep, I knew that! I listened to Dave on the way to work today! Inspiration! I also made it to the noon meeting. I figure I better make a way to attend that meeting or one day, I may not have a job, ya know? That which we put before sobriety, we lose, right? I sure don't want to find that out first hand.

Love you and the rest of my "family" here!

BIG HUGS!!

[The_Hammer]

No you don't, Believe me, you don't.

[recoveringnky]

Originally Posted by The_Hammer

No you don't, Believe me, you don't.

((((((((BIG, BIG HUGS)))))))))))

[best]

Originally Posted by recoveringnky

Then the other part of my brain said "oh, come on, just one won't hurt ya".

The only one that ever hurt me was the first one. The others just added to the problems.
Give that husband of your's a hug and tell him to give you a hug for me.

[Hurricane]

Glad you survived Kym

[BillJ]

So glad you made it! I haven't seen anything in the drinkers around me to suggest the drinking life is any better than it was when I put the plug in the jug. There damn sure ain't nothing out there I'd trade my sober life for! Not today!

[toad]

Originally Posted by BillJ

So glad you made it! I haven't seen anything in the drinkers around me to suggest the drinking life is any better than it was when I put the plug in the jug. There damn sure ain't nothing out there I'd trade my sober life for! Not today!

Good stuff Bill..................

Kym wrote:
"I started crying and my husband took my hand and we walked back to our campsite."

Love in action..................

You will grow stronger because of this experience.......hell, I'm growing stronger because of it.

[The_Hammer]

Originally Posted by BillJ

So glad you made it! I haven't seen anything in the drinkers around me to suggest the drinking life is any better than it was when I put the plug in the jug. There damn sure ain't nothing out there I'd trade my sober life for! Not today!

Truer words have never been spoken. I have head some pearls of wisdom in this program, but that's a statement I will hold near to my conscience.