aasharon90

Hi Im Sharon and Im an Alcoholic.

By the grace of my HP and people
like you here in SR I havent found
it necessary to pick up a drink of
alcohol since 8-11-90.

For that and you I am truely
grateful.



We hear a lot in meetings
that a grateful alcoholic
doesn't get drunk.What I
have found, though, reaches
far beyond feeling grateful,
and that is feeling useful.

I believe that when I
am grateful, It is usually
for what I have been given.

However, when I am useful,
it is for what I am able to give.
If nothing else, the program
of AA has offered me the
ability to be useful. And for
that, I am eternally grateful.


Sharing my own experiences
strengths and hopes with the
next person in recovery is my
way of being useful or helpful
to others. Its the sharing of
what it was like when i was
drinking to what happened
to me while i was drinking to
what happened to me afterwards.

Doing this gives the newcomer
hope that thru it all there is a
happier life without out the
daily use of alcohol or drugs.

Do you feel that usefulness when
helping a newcomer? Are you
grateful?

Thanks for letting me share.

ToABetterMe

This is a great post. Because I really am still a newbie (2 wks sober today) not sure I have really helped anyone. I try to encourage people that are having the same struggles I do, because I understand. I read everyones posts, & try to respond & let them know they are being heard. But I hope to be sober long enough to give real insite on how it changes your life!

four812

very nice.

thanks...i will send it out to some recovery friends of mine, from a sharon M, USA!

shaun00

Not sure you help anyone........oh yes you do...and you dont even realize.

You are two weeks sober and through your tuff times and triumphs you have stayed sober........a newcomer just through the door will connect with that.

that is a message in itself and a powerful one at that...YOU ARE PROVING EVERYDAY THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO GET SOBER........Something i i used to think was impossible.

Your message is as important as someone whom has been sober years.

And you remind someone thats been around abit of the GROWING pains of early recovery.

Hats off to you.................trucker

ToABetterMe

:ghug3 Thank you, that is sweet!

aasharon90

I still think sometimes that even with my sobriety
i make a difference in other peoples lives. Even if
i suit up and show up at meetings and dont say
a word or dont share then how am i really helping
anyone. Well, it was explained to me that id be
surprised at how many people i do help. Just
the mere fact that i show up regularly allows
the newcomer to see how well I show up
every week at the same time and I havnt drank
then I must be doing something right.

It's what u call consistancy. Constantly doing
the same thing on a regular bases.

Same thing as coming here to SR on a regular
bases and sharing what it was like when i
drank, what happened to me and where
i am today with my recovery.

How do i manage to stay sober day after
day, dealing with everyday life and all
that it throws to me.

Merely following the steps of the many
before me who freely shared their own
ESH with me and now me to you.

A continuous cycle of recovery which
inturns rewards me with freedom, happiness,
health and another day of sobriety.

Thanks for letting me share.

CAPTAINZING2000

I no sooner started coming to AA, I started taking people to meetings, setting up, chairing and cleaning up after meetings. And, I was supportive to people in the program in anyway I could be of help.

By helping others we our helping ourselves

adore79

I havent really done too much for others in quite a while, but I do agree it is nice to be wanted/needed. Also, having a little responsibility can make a huge difference for me, and is something that I have not had much of for a while. Good thread topic, as usual, Sharon!