You know those rectangular speeding tickets the cops give you? In the police station they print them out attached to one another. I walked into my lawyers office with a string of tickets that were taller than me, I'm not that much under 6 ft tall. He starts reading them, " <the lords name in vane>, <my real name> , this one's an indictable offense, a felony. This means I gotta go to county court and hope they kick it back down to the local " Grabs these sheets of paper. "Its about time you got a divorce from alcohol" (I wasnt exactly a new client). " Go to 90 AA meetings in 90 days and each time get this paper signed"
This is a joke right. I still work full time, run, lift weights, begun dating a new woman. Where am i getting time for this? This was an emergency situation though, pretty serious legal trouble I better get to as many meetings as I can. I did 6 a week at first. You won't believe how much time you have on your hands when you get sober!
I had 2 days sober and looked up a local meeting at a church. Not sure which door to go in. Oh well it's just past start time, I'd be late anyway. Maybe I should just go have a beer and try this again tomorrow night. So I'm walking back to the car and a guy is walking into the meeting a few minutes late. "Hi, are you looking for the AA metting" Ahh, and I could just about taste that beer. Alright I'm caught guess I'll see what this is about.
I was 41 and had been a relatively functioning alcoholic since I was 14. I knew AA meant no drinking ever and I could never accept that. Until now, but there was even more to it than the legal charges, it was gas on an underlying fire.
We read step 1 and I heard so many points of view. Everybody reads a paragraph or two of literature. Either the person who just read will comment on what they read with the option to pass (you dont have to share "pass" is very common) or everyone reads and all comments at the end. Either in order by seats or raise your hand. Sometimes it's a speaker that may share for like 20 minutes and then take comments after. Different types of alcoholics but so much in common. So much humor in it too believe it or not. It's like you think like that too, wow I thought I was just nuts. Well maybe I am nuts but I'm not the only one.
At least for me once I saw the how it works chapter in the big book and step 1 of the 12 &12 that was a really good introduction to the program. It really made a light come on.
They love newcomers at meetings. To keep the gift of sobriety they have to give it away. An old timer, not even actually that much older than me but like almost 20 years sober stayed a bit after the meeting and talked to me. So I went home and dumped out all my alcohol.
The next meeting I tried same thing. Where the heck is this meeting, which door. This time the guy that came up would become my sponsor in a few weeks.
It's a simple program, get right with God, get right with yourself, get right with other people.
Some really struggle with or even seem to be traumatized by this God concept. It's simple, its early sobriety you don't have to solve the meaning of life today, just have to stay sober today. A God of your understanding. The universe or whatever. Something out there and it isn't you. The ability to accept life on life's terms.
I went a lot of meetings in my first couple of years now just a few per month but also like to read and post here.