TOPIC: How Are Others In Recovery Gonna Know If You Are Sober/Clean Are Not?
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Baton Rouge, La.
Posts: 15,236
TOPIC: How Are Others In Recovery Gonna Know If You Are Sober/Clean Are Not?
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 grateful.
So how are others in recovery
gonna know if you are sober/clean
or not?
I went to a meeting yesterday
at noon. A place where I spent
a many a days in early recovery.
Last summer a hurricane passed
thru damaging what was very
suggificant in my recovery.
Since then, it has been remodeled
and is opened up slowly drawing
newcomers back in.
However those that i use to see
in early recovery have either passed
on or have found new meetings to
attend.
Yesterday was the first day in
a few months that i last attended
that meeting, and the lady asked
me where I had been.
I shared that i was doing most of
my recovery online.....
However as i sat there listening
and abserving the faces of the
newcomers from a treatment
facility, I thought it was time
to step up to the plate as an
old-timer and share for a moment
on the importance of being seen
at meetings.....
How r the newcomers gonna
know if the program is really
working if they dont see for
themselves the progress.
I for myself looked to the ones
before me at meetings...listened
to them share how they were
staying sober one day at a time.
Just sharing their ESH with me
and others...
It felt good to suit up and show
up at that meeting....
As i left i told the chair person
good-bye and he asked where
Mr. Charlie was....i smiled
and told him we had gotten
married and that he was working
a good program and making
his meetings at the same place
except it was on the weekends....
It's amazing how people auto-
matically place him and I together
from the very start.
Anyway...the program works if
you work it. Right?
Thanks for letting me share.
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 grateful.
So how are others in recovery
gonna know if you are sober/clean
or not?
I went to a meeting yesterday
at noon. A place where I spent
a many a days in early recovery.
Last summer a hurricane passed
thru damaging what was very
suggificant in my recovery.
Since then, it has been remodeled
and is opened up slowly drawing
newcomers back in.
However those that i use to see
in early recovery have either passed
on or have found new meetings to
attend.
Yesterday was the first day in
a few months that i last attended
that meeting, and the lady asked
me where I had been.
I shared that i was doing most of
my recovery online.....
However as i sat there listening
and abserving the faces of the
newcomers from a treatment
facility, I thought it was time
to step up to the plate as an
old-timer and share for a moment
on the importance of being seen
at meetings.....
How r the newcomers gonna
know if the program is really
working if they dont see for
themselves the progress.
I for myself looked to the ones
before me at meetings...listened
to them share how they were
staying sober one day at a time.
Just sharing their ESH with me
and others...
It felt good to suit up and show
up at that meeting....
As i left i told the chair person
good-bye and he asked where
Mr. Charlie was....i smiled
and told him we had gotten
married and that he was working
a good program and making
his meetings at the same place
except it was on the weekends....
It's amazing how people auto-
matically place him and I together
from the very start.
Anyway...the program works if
you work it. Right?
Thanks for letting me share.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posts: 542
Hi Sharon...
What a lovely and inspirational "share" - THank YOU so much!! I will be attending my AA meeting this evening and will be thinking of what you just wrote. I am still quite a newcomer as it's only on wednesdays and saturdays for me - small town. I missed a few lately due to some unexpected circumstances and I'm excited to go again!
Thanks, Pancake xo
What a lovely and inspirational "share" - THank YOU so much!! I will be attending my AA meeting this evening and will be thinking of what you just wrote. I am still quite a newcomer as it's only on wednesdays and saturdays for me - small town. I missed a few lately due to some unexpected circumstances and I'm excited to go again!
Thanks, Pancake xo
Forum Leader
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Scottsdale, AZ, one big happy dysfunctional family!
Posts: 23,035
I try to be an example of recovery through quiet & humble service, and by being reliable,
I'm the guy who shows up 99.9% of the time at 5:00 PM every day, I quietly empty the trash, stock the bathrooms with supplies, clean up the coffee service, and empty the ash cans. Then I sit outside with a cup of coffee, visit with the old-timers and my one current sponsee, and greet the other members as they arrive for the meeting.
When I was a newcomer one of my sponsors told me that I'd come to rely on certain people being at the meetings almost every day, without fail. Their attendance would make me feel safe and comfortable. Now I'm one of those regular meeting attendees.
Attraction, not promotion. I'm leading by example
I'm the guy who shows up 99.9% of the time at 5:00 PM every day, I quietly empty the trash, stock the bathrooms with supplies, clean up the coffee service, and empty the ash cans. Then I sit outside with a cup of coffee, visit with the old-timers and my one current sponsee, and greet the other members as they arrive for the meeting.
When I was a newcomer one of my sponsors told me that I'd come to rely on certain people being at the meetings almost every day, without fail. Their attendance would make me feel safe and comfortable. Now I'm one of those regular meeting attendees.
Attraction, not promotion. I'm leading by example
Forum Leader
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Scottsdale, AZ, one big happy dysfunctional family!
Posts: 23,035
Hi bob, welcome to SR! Well, it seems to have worked fine, keep reading and posting where you like. Always nice to add another member to our family in recovery. 
This info might make your journey on SR a little more comfortable http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...hat-users.html
This info might make your journey on SR a little more comfortable http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...hat-users.html
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Baton Rouge, La.
Posts: 15,236
Introduce urself to us since u r new here.
If u r new to recovery, there are lots
of members here that will gladly guide
u along the way as you build a strong
foundation first in recovery.
Share a little bit of what brought u here.
Hi Im Sharon and Im an Alcoholic.
If u r new to recovery, there are lots
of members here that will gladly guide
u along the way as you build a strong
foundation first in recovery.
Share a little bit of what brought u here.
Hi Im Sharon and Im an Alcoholic.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Currently Saratoga New York
Posts: 26
Thank you Sharon for replying, I am currently sober almost 3 weeks but had a period sobriety of almost 20 years, have 2 beautiful daughters and am very aware of the fallout of relapse, I really never considered this kind of communication before but nothing I try now ,knowing all I know, seems to give me any hope , just really lost.
Forum Leader
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Scottsdale, AZ, one big happy dysfunctional family!
Posts: 23,035
Bob - This is from the link I posted above, if you have some time please take a moment to read it. Plenty of people here for help and support, we're happy to reach out......
Welcome to the SoberRecovery community. We're glad you found us. SoberRecovery is a community of over 6000 unique and diverse members with a common goal. Recovery.
Feel free to take a good look around at the many categories and see where you fit in. And don't hesitate to ask questions-we have an all-volunteer staff of really great moderators to help you find your way.
Not sure where you fit in? Start in the general categories and read some posts. When you find one or more that you identify with, you've found a good place to begin. When posting for the first time, don't be shy! If you regret what you wrote, go back and edit it. All of us had to write that first post, and now some have developed a new addiction. Posting!
If you're new to message boards, start clicking away. You can't break anything. The categories are divided into groups to make it easier for you to navigate. On the upper menu bar are the tools to help you get around, as well as a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) area that should answer any of your questions regarding the use of the site.
If you need a question answered right away, post it here and one of us will help you asap.
Again, welcome to the SoberRecovery community. We're glad you're here.
Welcome to the SoberRecovery community. We're glad you found us. SoberRecovery is a community of over 6000 unique and diverse members with a common goal. Recovery.
Feel free to take a good look around at the many categories and see where you fit in. And don't hesitate to ask questions-we have an all-volunteer staff of really great moderators to help you find your way.
Not sure where you fit in? Start in the general categories and read some posts. When you find one or more that you identify with, you've found a good place to begin. When posting for the first time, don't be shy! If you regret what you wrote, go back and edit it. All of us had to write that first post, and now some have developed a new addiction. Posting!
If you're new to message boards, start clicking away. You can't break anything. The categories are divided into groups to make it easier for you to navigate. On the upper menu bar are the tools to help you get around, as well as a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) area that should answer any of your questions regarding the use of the site.
If you need a question answered right away, post it here and one of us will help you asap.
Again, welcome to the SoberRecovery community. We're glad you're here.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Baton Rouge, La.
Posts: 15,236
20 yrs is a many one days at
a time collected together at one
time.
Im glad u r back with ur 3 weeks....
With the time u have you should know
what recovery is all about, right?
Youve had a taste of it an of course
as you r aware drinking or using will
never be what it use to be like.
Share with us ur experience, strength
and hope of what it was like drinking,
what happened to u that brought u to
recovery in the first place and what
happened to you. Why did u go back
out? What happened that made u chose
to go back out?
As u know so many dont make it back
to these rooms of recovery....however
u did.
For me i have a purpose in life today.
which helps me stay sober one day
at a time.......And that is to help the
newer people looking up to us that have
been there done that and have a story
to share with them in order to give them
hope.
I want u and them to have what was
so freely passed on to me.
The joy and freedom of not drinking
or using by following the principles
set down before us in our 12 step
program.
a time collected together at one
time.
Im glad u r back with ur 3 weeks....
With the time u have you should know
what recovery is all about, right?
Youve had a taste of it an of course
as you r aware drinking or using will
never be what it use to be like.
Share with us ur experience, strength
and hope of what it was like drinking,
what happened to u that brought u to
recovery in the first place and what
happened to you. Why did u go back
out? What happened that made u chose
to go back out?
As u know so many dont make it back
to these rooms of recovery....however
u did.
For me i have a purpose in life today.
which helps me stay sober one day
at a time.......And that is to help the
newer people looking up to us that have
been there done that and have a story
to share with them in order to give them
hope.
I want u and them to have what was
so freely passed on to me.
The joy and freedom of not drinking
or using by following the principles
set down before us in our 12 step
program.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Currently Saratoga New York
Posts: 26
Thank u guys for responding, needed something today and maybe this was a reason for possibly taking the easier ,softer way out, well we all know there is nothing easier or softer worth having that does not require reaching out and asking for help. So we all have our own story and maybe right now my faith is not enough, so I will say it again if it is only for my inner spirit to hear, "Faith without works is dead" ,still lost but still trying.thanks again
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Baton Rouge, La.
Posts: 15,236
There is nothing we have to ever
go thru or do alone in this world
again. From the simpliest to the
most difficulty of things I know
for myself i can turn here to SR
or to another person in recovery
for help.
We turn to our fath for spirituality.
We turn to our program of AA or
NA or other programs for drinking,
using, etc.
We turn to doctors for medical
attention.
We turn to our barbars and salons
for beauty.
We turn to health clubs and exercise
for our physical health.
And so on.....
I had to take care of my drinking
problem first before anything else.....
If i was to continue to drink then
i wouldnt be go to anyone else much
less myself.
Faith comes from within....for me....
I know that I need that faith or HP or
Strength or the Man upstairs to guide
me, protect me and give me strength
when needed.
I know my will never works, so i have
to rely on that Strength Up Above to
help me.
As long as i continue to turn my will
and life over to that Power than Im in
good shape.
go thru or do alone in this world
again. From the simpliest to the
most difficulty of things I know
for myself i can turn here to SR
or to another person in recovery
for help.
We turn to our fath for spirituality.
We turn to our program of AA or
NA or other programs for drinking,
using, etc.
We turn to doctors for medical
attention.
We turn to our barbars and salons
for beauty.
We turn to health clubs and exercise
for our physical health.
And so on.....
I had to take care of my drinking
problem first before anything else.....
If i was to continue to drink then
i wouldnt be go to anyone else much
less myself.
Faith comes from within....for me....
I know that I need that faith or HP or
Strength or the Man upstairs to guide
me, protect me and give me strength
when needed.
I know my will never works, so i have
to rely on that Strength Up Above to
help me.
As long as i continue to turn my will
and life over to that Power than Im in
good shape.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Baghdad
Posts: 2,822
Originally Posted by bobpepper17 
I suppose anything else now would fit into category of whining, just need to know I am not alone
My story is similar to yours, had over 14 years, 11 of it without any outside support, tossed it when I came to the conclusion, as baffling as it seems now, that I was no longer an alcoholic.
After a very crooked road 5 year road trip where I tossed away marriage #2, I came to the happy conclusion that I was indeed an alcoholic and there was one very simple solution to my 'problem'. Hope you find yours.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Baton Rouge, La.
Posts: 15,236
Im connected to SR and watching
American Idol too.
It's ok to relax and have fun in
recovery.
In fact they insist on us having
fun.
I enjoy reading post from many
here.....i look at the New Post
and try to welcome the newest
person coming in so they will
know they r not alone.....
Read some and if ud like to
reply to them like ur doing
here then go for it....
Sharing here is just like u
would if u r at a face to face
meeting....
Be kind to others and respect-
ful.....
Remember everyone is entitled
to their own opinions whether
here or there.
Be kind to urself too....
American Idol too.
It's ok to relax and have fun in
recovery.
In fact they insist on us having
fun.
I enjoy reading post from many
here.....i look at the New Post
and try to welcome the newest
person coming in so they will
know they r not alone.....
Read some and if ud like to
reply to them like ur doing
here then go for it....
Sharing here is just like u
would if u r at a face to face
meeting....
Be kind to others and respect-
ful.....
Remember everyone is entitled
to their own opinions whether
here or there.
Be kind to urself too....
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