One Year Celebration
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Join Date: Oct 2008
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One Year Celebration
Thursday I celebrate my one year sobriety at my home group meeting. My brother, who is 23 years in the program, will give me a one year coin.
I am a little nervous about it, I don't want to BS anyone and I want to share some ESH, there are two or three guys there who are new in the program. I guess I am posting this to ask for some ESH from some of you.
I just posted my 3 part story over in "Stories of Recovery". Obviously I will respect the singleness of purpose, but some of what my experience was with drugs directly relates to the problem I had with alcohol.
My group is not terribly rigid, but I want to respect the traditions.
How did you all handle it? I have talked with my support group about this, but like I said, I'd appreciate it if you'd share your wisdom with me.
Mark
I am a little nervous about it, I don't want to BS anyone and I want to share some ESH, there are two or three guys there who are new in the program. I guess I am posting this to ask for some ESH from some of you.
I just posted my 3 part story over in "Stories of Recovery". Obviously I will respect the singleness of purpose, but some of what my experience was with drugs directly relates to the problem I had with alcohol.
My group is not terribly rigid, but I want to respect the traditions.
How did you all handle it? I have talked with my support group about this, but like I said, I'd appreciate it if you'd share your wisdom with me.
Mark
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 31,179
((Mark)) I just read your "part 3" and am so glad you're here and doing so much better.
I didn't stay in AA long enough to make any speeches, but when I went, my problem was ONLY drugs....I don't have a problem with alcohol. I just always used the phrase "pick up" and left out the part of what I was picking up. All the groups I went to were pretty lenient on us drug abusers, as long as we stuck to the principles of AA and didn't go off on tangents about drugs. There were times I heard others say "I drank too much and did way too much of some other things".
I guess it depends on the groups. I don't ever remember anyone specifically talking about drugs, but I remember a LOT of people who were drug addicts joining in the discussion and it went fine. I only went 5-1/2 months..you've gone a lot longer than that, so I'm sure you will handle it fine.
I'm also sure you will get better responses than mine
Hugs and prayers!
Amy
I didn't stay in AA long enough to make any speeches, but when I went, my problem was ONLY drugs....I don't have a problem with alcohol. I just always used the phrase "pick up" and left out the part of what I was picking up. All the groups I went to were pretty lenient on us drug abusers, as long as we stuck to the principles of AA and didn't go off on tangents about drugs. There were times I heard others say "I drank too much and did way too much of some other things".
I guess it depends on the groups. I don't ever remember anyone specifically talking about drugs, but I remember a LOT of people who were drug addicts joining in the discussion and it went fine. I only went 5-1/2 months..you've gone a lot longer than that, so I'm sure you will handle it fine.
I'm also sure you will get better responses than mine
Hugs and prayers!
Amy
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: nj
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Congrats Mark.
I try to follow the same 'script' whenever I share.
Assume there's a newcomer in the room. Tell that newcomer how you recovered from alcoholism. In your case, tell that newcomer how you stayed sober for a year. After all ,that is your group's primary purpose.
I try to follow the same 'script' whenever I share.
Assume there's a newcomer in the room. Tell that newcomer how you recovered from alcoholism. In your case, tell that newcomer how you stayed sober for a year. After all ,that is your group's primary purpose.
where the light is
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 2,763
Speak the truth and speak from your heart. I just read through your story and can identify with much of it. It is what it is - drugs were a part of it.
How much time will you have to speak? Our birthday meeting format, we take about 5 or 10 minutes each (those celebrating milestones) and then it's pretty much a regular meeting. I only talked about my story from the day I walked into AA and my first year of sobriety (the challenges, the solution). And I expressed mega-gratitude to my HP, sponsor, and the fellowship.
BTW, your story gives me hope. Thanks!
How much time will you have to speak? Our birthday meeting format, we take about 5 or 10 minutes each (those celebrating milestones) and then it's pretty much a regular meeting. I only talked about my story from the day I walked into AA and my first year of sobriety (the challenges, the solution). And I expressed mega-gratitude to my HP, sponsor, and the fellowship.
BTW, your story gives me hope. Thanks!
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Join Date: Oct 2008
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My home group is not real big... I am the only one celebrating and I can take 20 minutes, although I have heard shares that took 30-40. Then I suggest a topic for discussion.
There is another guy there who has about 3 years and he shared recently, for a while... Like me, his pre-teen and teen years were important to his story. His story resonated with me.
I will really feel like a part of my home group after my share and I am anxious to do it.
Thanx for your comments!
Mark
There is another guy there who has about 3 years and he shared recently, for a while... Like me, his pre-teen and teen years were important to his story. His story resonated with me.
I will really feel like a part of my home group after my share and I am anxious to do it.
Thanx for your comments!
Mark
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Southern Colorado
Posts: 1,167
Happy birthday Mark. One year is a huge deal. That's a long time without booze and/or drugs.
I shared my story about 3 times over the last few months and I talk about how it was with me and booze. I talk about how I drank, what happened a little bit and how I tried to quit and how I failed repeatedly. I keep in mind that I'm demonstrating how, once I start to drink, I lose control over the amount and how I many times blacked out, kept drinking through that, and drama ensued. Then I talk about how, left to my own devices, I drink again and I describe a bit the processes before and after that 1st drink. I talk a bit about what I've tried to control and enjoy my drinking or what I've done to try to stay stopped and how I failed...inside and outside of A.A.
Part of what I've done to try to control my drinking or stay stopped is do drugs. I've talked a little bit about the drugs I've done, but don't go way into how they made me feel or what I've done while high... unless it demonstrates my attempts to control the two situtations mentioned above.
I sought everything I could out of booze almost every time I drank. I was never afraid of booze... until the end of my drinking. Prior to that, others had problems with my drinking. I sometimes arose remorseful, but it was short-lived. Drugs scared me. I did drugs, but don't think I ever became an addict. I could choose to take them and sometimes chose to quit. Quitting was hard, but the mere fact they were illegal and extremely expensive and sometimes hard to get kept me away from them. Not so with booze. Maybe I was a social drug user. She's using drugs. Social I. That type of thing.
I shared my story about 3 times over the last few months and I talk about how it was with me and booze. I talk about how I drank, what happened a little bit and how I tried to quit and how I failed repeatedly. I keep in mind that I'm demonstrating how, once I start to drink, I lose control over the amount and how I many times blacked out, kept drinking through that, and drama ensued. Then I talk about how, left to my own devices, I drink again and I describe a bit the processes before and after that 1st drink. I talk a bit about what I've tried to control and enjoy my drinking or what I've done to try to stay stopped and how I failed...inside and outside of A.A.
Part of what I've done to try to control my drinking or stay stopped is do drugs. I've talked a little bit about the drugs I've done, but don't go way into how they made me feel or what I've done while high... unless it demonstrates my attempts to control the two situtations mentioned above.
I sought everything I could out of booze almost every time I drank. I was never afraid of booze... until the end of my drinking. Prior to that, others had problems with my drinking. I sometimes arose remorseful, but it was short-lived. Drugs scared me. I did drugs, but don't think I ever became an addict. I could choose to take them and sometimes chose to quit. Quitting was hard, but the mere fact they were illegal and extremely expensive and sometimes hard to get kept me away from them. Not so with booze. Maybe I was a social drug user. She's using drugs. Social I. That type of thing.
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Join Date: Oct 2008
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What you said about the drugs, not an addict, but quitting was hard... yea that's me pretty much.
Thanx Patrick.. And all you guys... You all are an amazing resource and make my experience in AA, both the fellowship and program much more meaningful.
Too bad we can't all get together over coffee!
Mark
Thanx Patrick.. And all you guys... You all are an amazing resource and make my experience in AA, both the fellowship and program much more meaningful.
Too bad we can't all get together over coffee!
Mark
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 1,636
Oh, Mark, how exciting!
When I have to share, I usually kinda just put it out there to HP for awhile in advance, asking like for a general theme that I'll loosely organize whatever I'm going to say around. Then, when I get it, I just kind of hold it in my mind and, what usually happens is that stuff comes to mind that relates to it. Then I just say a quick prayer before I speak that whatever I say will be what people need to hear...and just do it.
The last few times I've shared somewhere that I've been like the major -speak-for-an-hour-or-more speaker, I've been very deliberately organizing my thoughts around the Steps. I mean, I'll like do a brief before-program history, but then I go through my experiences with the Steps in 1-12 order. Of course, at this point, that means that sometimes things don't come out very neatly chronologically, but at least I get all the Steps covered. It used to be that I was doing more of a loose autobiographical thing, which, of course, did include a lot of program results, but I was feeling like it wasn't really concretely/actionably program/solution focused enough.
Anyway, that's what seems to be working for me right now.......I'm sure you'll do great and I hope you have lots of fun doing it!
freya
When I have to share, I usually kinda just put it out there to HP for awhile in advance, asking like for a general theme that I'll loosely organize whatever I'm going to say around. Then, when I get it, I just kind of hold it in my mind and, what usually happens is that stuff comes to mind that relates to it. Then I just say a quick prayer before I speak that whatever I say will be what people need to hear...and just do it.
The last few times I've shared somewhere that I've been like the major -speak-for-an-hour-or-more speaker, I've been very deliberately organizing my thoughts around the Steps. I mean, I'll like do a brief before-program history, but then I go through my experiences with the Steps in 1-12 order. Of course, at this point, that means that sometimes things don't come out very neatly chronologically, but at least I get all the Steps covered. It used to be that I was doing more of a loose autobiographical thing, which, of course, did include a lot of program results, but I was feeling like it wasn't really concretely/actionably program/solution focused enough.
Anyway, that's what seems to be working for me right now.......I'm sure you'll do great and I hope you have lots of fun doing it!
freya
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Originally Posted by freya 
concretely/actionably program/solution focused
Working through my story I really understand, that for me, there was a spiritual collapse and void that opened... hence a spiritual solution. Therefore I can speak about those steps and how they bring me to recovery.
Thanx
Mark
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: scotland
Posts: 1,493
Mark,i have been watching you grow since i came to sr at the begining of the year and you certainly gave me hope.youve come a long way.i love reading your input.thanks for being here and congratulations on your year.oh,the opening question...the truth.
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Join Date: Dec 2008
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hey mark..the big one ..the first year....
i love to share about the power of god and how he got me to where im at.
i love to share that i didnt wait a year to work the steps..i didnt do 90 in 90..
i didnt pick a door knob for a higher power and i didnt just "sit tight"..to recover
i did try all the above a few times only to be cornered again into "my" solution.
all you got is your story mate......and a good one it is too...ive just read it.
shaun.
i love to share about the power of god and how he got me to where im at.
i love to share that i didnt wait a year to work the steps..i didnt do 90 in 90..
i didnt pick a door knob for a higher power and i didnt just "sit tight"..to recover
i did try all the above a few times only to be cornered again into "my" solution.
all you got is your story mate......and a good one it is too...ive just read it.
shaun.
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Being, ME
Posts: 3,758
i had problems with drugs and alcohol, but i seldom share about the past. i have learned that drugs & alcohol were just obvious symptoms of a greater problem. It's the exact nature of my problems that i share about and how i am living a better life by working the 12 Steps and 12 Traditions.
Relax, pray, and stay open to how God wants to help others through you!
Keep what you have by giving it away and share honestly from your heart!
Relax, pray, and stay open to how God wants to help others through you!
Keep what you have by giving it away and share honestly from your heart!
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Join Date: May 2004
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Hey, Mark, I just read your story on the other thread -- It is beautiful and very powerful!
(...and very well-organized and well-written.) I'm sure whatever you say tomorrow will be awesome!
freya
(...and very well-organized and well-written.) I'm sure whatever you say tomorrow will be awesome!
freya
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Southern New Hampshire
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Watching others recover always fills me, Thank you for sharing your journey with us. one year is a big deal, you will never have to drink again.Trust GOd, Clean HOuse, help others, pretty simple, pretty awesome.
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