aasharon90

Hi Im Sharon and Im an Alcoholic.

By the grace of my HP an 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.

How many of you have discovered
something new for the first time
in recovery?

There will be many firsts as you
and I continue on our recovery
journey.

Things you were afraid of doing
so you never did them. Finally
you've had some sober or clean
time and you are aware of them
with a new sense of wonder or
excitement and even curiousity.

It's so awesome to experience
first time things in a new sober
life.

Like a child at Christmas time,
wide eyes and jumping with joy.

Maybe you've experienced the
most important thing of all...
Being sober for the first time.

Maybe you are in a first time
sober relationship or marriage.

Maybe you've finally bought that
1st new car or house.

How about the birth of a new
baby in recovery.

Today, for the first time, I hung
out hummingbird feeders with
vibrant red sugar water for them
to sip on.

This is the first time to experience
the joy of feeding hummingbirds
in recovery some 20 yrs later.

Imagine that.

Share some of your firsts with us
so the newcomers can see what
they too have to look forward to
in a recovery program.

Things to enjoy and be grateful
for.

leo21

Hmmm - since I stopped drinking I actually had the money to let my daughter go to her first junior high dance friday night and to pay for some pics. Also got her lunch on saturday! It felt nice remembering what it's like to actually be a provider and better father. I'm grateful for that without a doubt.

milwaukeeguy85

I have learned that there are many people that wake up after a night of drinking and destroy themselves with guilt due to their drinking actions (like I tend to do). I have also learned that many alcoholics will say " I am an alcoholic" and act like they aren't in denial, but the reality is that until you accept alcohol has ruined your life you are still in denial. I have also learned that talking with people that support you and are in the same position is a great motivation tool because I feel if I take another drink I am not only letting myself down, but letting the people in my meeting down, and letting this entire board down.

aasharon90

It is awesome to have others
to chat with, share things
with that are in the same
boat as us.

The support of another in a
recovery program does make
recovery fun.

Just because we are in recovery
doesnt mean we are dead. In
fact it is the birth of a knew you.

It may seem like it's unreachable
to a newcomer cause the feelings
we have had in the past have
all been numbed by a controlled
substance.

However....look at the many
before you that have stayed
sober for a many one days at
a time.

All those members have worked
a recovery program for them-
selves. It's a personal accom-
plishment. A personal goal to
live by each day.

Have you ever seen a miserable
drug addict or alcoholic that has
incorperated a recovery program
in their everyday life?

Do see the smiles, laughter, joy,
freedom?

I started from day one in rehab.
Miserable, full of fear, hatred,
shame, guilt. I allowed 28 days
to pass with out temptation of
alcohol to be near me.

That gave me time to abosrb
what I could about my alcoholism
and what it was doing to me
and my family.

Once i had a running start, I
took that knowledge and tools
of recovery and ran with it.

For the first time in my life
i had something to hold onto.

HOPE.

That hope has led me to many
changes in my life good and bad
but none to drink over. Each new
day is a gift and im grateful for
it.

Each day Is a discovery of something
new to happen.

A new day sober.

Kablume

I've had a few sober firsts. Some that come to mind are a baseball game, a canoe trip, a campfire, a hockey game. I did them before but now doing them over sober so it's a first for me. Being sober can be a blast. I'm free to laugh again.

Congrats on your 20 years sobriety Sharon! Great topic...