dox

My sponsor carries his about with him with his loose change.
It's a simple reminder for him.
It has been a serendipitous conversation starter; enabling him to help others by carrying the message.

I'm looking at my most recent one now.
Haven't gotten around to putting it in the slot in my psychedelic Big Book cover.

Nobody else knows about the number on it except when I collect it.
I think receiving it yearly encourages others.
If I can do it, so can you!

This is the only one I have, because I hand in an old one when I collect a new one.

Pass it on!

elsker

I carry my chip in my pocket. Nobody else sees it or knows it's there. For me, the chip is a reminder of how far I've come and how much I stand to lose if I slip. The serenity prayer is on one side, on the other side, the words "To thine own self be true." Everything I need to keep myself on track.

My life is so much better now than it was six months ago...the chip is my reminder.

SDH73

I don't have any chips but if I did I'd probably keep one in my pocket at all times. As it is I always have a guitar pick in my pocket. The reason is that when I find myself in trying situations, whether at work or out there in the world or wherever, I think of that guitar pick or get it out and hold it for a minute and it kinda helps me find my center again. Like "this current situation isn't my whole life, it's only a current situation and it will pass."

I think a sobriety chip could be used to great effect in that same way.

Heck, yeah! Carry them chips around!

stevieg46

Hi Fini .

I have never had an AA chip and I have been a member of many groups in Glasgow, they do not do that here , but I noticed think it was David from Edinburgh also Scotland that they do so , Glasgow west coast Edinburgh east coast ?? .

I do have an AA ring showing the ''AA triangle Unity Recovery Service '' I have had this for many years , I also wear a '' gold praying hands medallion '' which I have had since 1979 . Both of these pieces of have sparked off many an interesting conversations due to others noticing them . Over the years I have holidayed in Europe many times and its led to conversations with fellow AAs from other countries . re anonymity its only other members of 12 step groups who recognize them . Good to talk to you .

Regards .
Stevie

KAD

My home group only does yearly anniversaries. They don't give out chips, but a couple other meetings I attend do give them for the first day, 30 days, 90 days, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year up to 80 years. I picked up my 6 month chip over a month ago but I don't carry any of them around with me. They're all on my bedroom dresser. I picked them up because I feel proud of staying sober this long. They don't keep me sober, by any means, they're just a reminder of the progress I've made.

CousinA

I was at a meeting a couple years ago with a guy who shared about losing his 9 month chip during Hurricane Sandy. I don't usually carry mine but or whatever reason had the most recent that they gave me when I celebrated at my group and gave it to him. He was reluctant to take it as it had a bunch of roman numerals. I told him I really wanted him to have it and to pass it on to someone else he thought could use it. I hope it's doing someone some good wherever it might be.

I usually donate them back to my group. Maybe they can use the $2 or whatever they cost on some better coffee.

-allan

hpdw

AA is brilliant and in no way am I generalizing . This happed due to my grumpy bully of a sponsor whom I was actually the cause of much stress for me or so it seemed at the time . I ended up in hospital in 2007 with a breakdown of sorts and he was verbally abusive to me on the phone which didn't help matters .

What happened with the pennies was that after I went back out I came back to one meeting and told him I'd been drinking and offered him the pennies back and he took them with a snide remark .

Maybe he had his own problems but if I do go back to AA I don't want to be owned by some know all .

sorry if I went on a bit but its off my chest .

fini

well, Stevie,
i only got my first medallion last year, since that's the first year i'd really joined a meeting/group.
it was supposed to be an eight-year coin, but the person who gave it to me gave me the one they had gotten from their sponsor when they had eight years, and clearly THAT person misread the roman numerals, since the chip is actually a 13-year one.
so this made the whole thing rather odd, since i have a 13-year chip but not 13 sober years.
same is true for the person who gave it, who's now at 9 years. who knows if anyone ever got given it at 13?
anyway, i kept that one and am planning to give it to the one who gave it to me when they get to 13.
in the meantime, i occasionally carry my proper 9-year one.
i'm not one much for symbols, but i do like the fact that it goes around the room and everyone in the meeting holds it for a bit before it gets to the anniversary person.

fini

Thomas,
nobody can own you.
no matter how some might try.

least

I got monthly chips for the first year. I have them, and my one year chip, gathering dust on my shelf. But I know they're there and I know what they mean. I was going to make a clock out of them and give it to my former counselor but haven't gotten around to doing it yet.

esinger

I used to carry them to give to the next guy coming up when the opportunity arose. Then I gave them all back, turned in the highly highlighted blue book and started authoring my own life. Sort of a bland read but it works for me. But no more shiny tokens, bummer.

NoelleR

Yup, yup, yup; me too. I remember when the 18 month chip was first introduced; some of my friends and I liked to call it the 'resentment chip.' LOLOL

(o:

LiveInPeace

I'm a visual person. I like to carry mine around as a reminder of my new design for living.

MelindaFlowers

This.

zjw

I also have my sobriety date tattooed on me. Its interesting too lately i've been watching some tv shows where people are drinking very alcoholicly. Ya know hitting hte liquor store looking a bit nervous as they buy there fix next scene there drinking alone straight liquor etc.. and its basicly there routine. Of course this has the AV really working hard on me. I'm like yeah yeah i could go get a bottle and drink like they are it'd be great etc.. Then I looked down at my tattoo and just about cried and thought I just cant tho I worked too hard for this.

stevieg46

Ha Ha its a simple program for complicated people right enough , you know I am so happy to see you move on in your sobriety and deciding to ''improve '' your way of life via Alcoholics Anonymous and their program which is a ''design for living '' and self realization and discovery . One can only go so far in other well meaning outfits as the books and literature on offer do not get to the ''root cause '' of alcoholism which is ''Self '' but like you I will probably continue to give my support and throw in my two cents , take care .

Regards .

Stevie

Sizzle

Yes, that's the way I've heard it explained too! While I have 1, 2, 3 and 4 month chips, the silver 24-hour chip remains the most important. For it was that chip I held onto in my initial days of sobriety. Sure, length of sobriety can be important, but we can't forget that it's all just 24 hours or one day at a time.

Alphonse

I've never been to AA and the meeting here, as far as I can tell, no longer exists (e.g., phone doesn't answer, multiple emails unanswered). I do know that it helps some folks, so if carrying a token keeps them focused, then that is a net positive.

Music

I carry my medallion with me because of what my first sponsor told me. He said, "carry this with you in your change pocket so you can hear it rattle, and if you decide you want to drink again, drop it in the drink and when it dissolves, go ahead and take the drink." Been carrying my chip/medallion for almost 39 years and haven't had to drop it in a drink yet.

cejay

I carried the latest I picked up for a while and I'd rub it if I was craving in social situations, it helped.

Now I carry one that has an eagle on the front and the serenity prayer on the back. I still rub it if I'm craving and I keep it on my bed side table.

I don't show it to anyone, its just for me.

CJ.