Notices

There but for God's Grace, go I

Thread Tools
 
Old 04-21-2016, 07:23 PM
  # 1 (permalink)  
Member
Thread Starter
 
Cleomie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Florida
Posts: 236
There but for God's Grace, go I

Well I'm sitting on a cross country flight and wouldn't you know that I'd have the luck to sit next to a lady who's now working on her second bottle of wine. She's gotten to that sloppy drunk , talkative stage. I'm quietly pecking away here hoping she'll lose interest in me.
These are the moments that make me so very grateful to be over a year sober. It was so weird to witness her slowly become drunk right next to me.
There but for the grace of God, go I. I am so very grateful for sobriety.
__________________
Cleomie is offline  
Old 04-21-2016, 07:36 PM
  # 2 (permalink)  
One Day At A Time
 
Dharma33's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Midwest, USA
Posts: 2,054
Thanks for posting- and congrats on your sober time.

You will feel a lot better tomorrow morning than your neighbor will, I'm sure!
Dharma33 is offline  
Old 04-21-2016, 08:35 PM
  # 3 (permalink)  
Member
 
Dave42001's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Colorado
Posts: 3,781
Great post.. People do get drunk pretty quick when you're sitting with them sober..I see it often at family dinners..

As soon as my brother in law has a few he starts rewinding the television because he missed something.. That's about the time I say my goodbyes!!

Safe travels!!
Dave42001 is offline  
Old 04-21-2016, 08:37 PM
  # 4 (permalink)  
Member
 
Trees39's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,776
Gosh poor you. Well done for not craving one.
Trees39 is offline  
Old 04-21-2016, 09:09 PM
  # 5 (permalink)  
Member
 
Delilah1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: California
Posts: 13,045
This is why headphones are a necessity on planes, even if you aren't actually listening to anything!!
Delilah1 is offline  
Old 04-22-2016, 02:21 AM
  # 6 (permalink)  
Do your best
 
Soberwolf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 67,047
Soberwolf is offline  
Old 04-22-2016, 02:29 AM
  # 7 (permalink)  
Member
 
LeeJane's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: uk
Posts: 665
There but by the grace of God goes me too. Good to see these reminders of how it was and make us even more grateful to be off that horrible treadmill.
LeeJane is offline  
Old 04-22-2016, 02:36 AM
  # 8 (permalink)  
Member
 
immri's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Australia
Posts: 2,098
yikes, but what a good reminder of what youre not missing. Great post.
immri is offline  
Old 04-22-2016, 02:49 AM
  # 9 (permalink)  
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Abroad
Posts: 1,865
I'm sure this was difficult to witness and that you are grateful that you are not in this place anymore, but I still have mixed feelings about this post. I'm having problems seeing why it is necessary to put someone else down in order to feel good. Seven years ago I lost 150 lbs, but I didn't look at people around me thinking "oh, look at that fat lady stuffing her face with burgers", and I certainly didn't post it online. What if I were that lady sitting next to you on that flight?

I'm just a stupid foreigner and there are many aspects of the English language I still don't understand, but when I'm reading the title of this post I get the feeling that you have God's grace - and she doesn't. Correct me if I'm wrong.

So, I'm sorry to say that this was not a great post.
Fabela is offline  
Old 04-22-2016, 05:38 AM
  # 10 (permalink)  
under new management
 
2ndhandrose's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 2,339
I often remind myself "there but for the grace of God go I".

What that means to me is a reminder not to judge other people but rather to have compassion for where they are and what their situation might be.

It also is a reminder to myself to be grateful for where I find myself. It is a reminder to myself not to disparage someone else's position in life because it could just as easily be me.


2ndhandrose is offline  
Old 04-22-2016, 05:57 AM
  # 11 (permalink)  
Member
 
Delilah1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: California
Posts: 13,045
Originally Posted by Fabela View Post
I'm sure this was difficult to witness and that you are grateful that you are not in this place anymore, but I still have mixed feelings about this post. I'm having problems seeing why it is necessary to put someone else down in order to feel good. Seven years ago I lost 150 lbs, but I didn't look at people around me thinking "oh, look at that fat lady stuffing her face with burgers", and I certainly didn't post it online. What if I were that lady sitting next to you on that flight?

I'm just a stupid foreigner and there are many aspects of the English language I still don't understand, but when I'm reading the title of this post I get the feeling that you have God's grace - and she doesn't. Correct me if I'm wrong.

So, I'm sorry to say that this was not a great post.
Hi Fabela,

It is a saying that means it could easily be me in the same situation. It is not meant to say the other person doesn't have God's grace.

I know in the past I have been the person starting on that second glass of wine, and I am grateful it isn't me right now. This is what I believe was meant by the post.
Delilah1 is offline  
Old 04-22-2016, 06:16 AM
  # 12 (permalink)  
I could see peace instead of this
 
Bird615's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Canada, eh
Posts: 2,360
I see it the same way. It's having compassion and not being judgemental and feeling relieved that I don't have to do that anymore because I know how so very easily that could be me.

I believe that it took some sort of grace for me to be able to stop. How else did I just "decide" one morning that I was done, when all those mornings before that, I really thought I was done but wasn't?
Bird615 is offline  
Old 04-22-2016, 08:21 AM
  # 13 (permalink)  
Member
 
360startstoday's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 617
Originally Posted by Fabela View Post
I'm sure this was difficult to witness and that you are grateful that you are not in this place anymore, but I still have mixed feelings about this post. I'm having problems seeing why it is necessary to put someone else down in order to feel good. Seven years ago I lost 150 lbs, but I didn't look at people around me thinking "oh, look at that fat lady stuffing her face with burgers", and I certainly didn't post it online. What if I were that lady sitting next to you on that flight?

I'm just a stupid foreigner and there are many aspects of the English language I still don't understand, but when I'm reading the title of this post I get the feeling that you have God's grace - and she doesn't. Correct me if I'm wrong.

So, I'm sorry to say that this was not a great post.
I don't think that this is what is meant at all!

A reminder to all of us what we looked like to other people is often a great thing to keep us on track.

Great job not craving or giving in. Sobriety is a gift and I think its awesome to recognize it.
360startstoday is offline  
Old 04-22-2016, 09:19 AM
  # 14 (permalink)  
Member
 
tomsteve's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: northern michigan. not the U.P.
Posts: 15,281
it was pretty wild for me,too, the first time i was around someone getting sloppy drunk like i used to.
and all i could think was," thank you, God, for helping me get sober."
tomsteve is offline  
Old 04-22-2016, 09:22 AM
  # 15 (permalink)  
Member
 
tomsteve's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: northern michigan. not the U.P.
Posts: 15,281
Originally Posted by Fabela View Post
I'm sure this was difficult to witness and that you are grateful that you are not in this place anymore, but I still have mixed feelings about this post. I'm having problems seeing why it is necessary to put someone else down in order to feel good. Seven years ago I lost 150 lbs, but I didn't look at people around me thinking "oh, look at that fat lady stuffing her face with burgers", and I certainly didn't post it online. What if I were that lady sitting next to you on that flight?
i must be reading the OP differently as i dont read anything condecending or derogitory like your example.
tomsteve is offline  
Old 04-22-2016, 09:26 AM
  # 16 (permalink)  
Member
 
Mountainmanbob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Lakeside, Ca
Posts: 10,208
Originally Posted by Cleomie View Post

There but for the grace of God, go I. I am so very grateful for sobriety.
__________________
Learned that saying from my Sponsor.
I use it often.
For I'm grateful today.
Bob
Mountainmanbob is offline  
Old 04-22-2016, 09:40 AM
  # 17 (permalink)  
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: MN
Posts: 8,704
I feel for you. I was once on the receiving end of a drunken lunatic on a flight. Nothing worse.
thomas11 is offline  

Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are Off





All times are GMT -7. The time now is 08:39 AM.