I just knew that AA was up to something...
Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: NC
Posts: 1,737
Originally Posted by Nuudawn 
Anyhoo...we are in the process of getting to know one another. And again, part of this relationship is "staying connected"...
So!
It dawns on me...if I were to decide to go back drinking, geezus...THESE PEOPLE would know.
So!
It dawns on me...if I were to decide to go back drinking, geezus...THESE PEOPLE would know.
Guest
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Canada
Posts: 4,580
Originally Posted by EndGameNYC
This thread makes me want to use a word I've never used in a sentence, 'legerdemain', and another word I've used maybe three times in my life, 'skullduggery'. After all, what kind of a person would deny him- or her- self a bit of frivolous hocus pocus'?
Skullduggery
Had to look 'em up EG. You have increased my vocabulary. Words...how I love them.
Sigh...and now I love you more.
Member
Join Date: May 2014
Location: liverpool, england
Posts: 1,708
Originally Posted by Nuudawn
Ed Zackley!! Actually someone pm'ed after I posted to ask if I wasn't bothered by the "monitoring" aspect as these folks were "without credentials" as they said... Apologies, for bringing it up here (friend who privately mailed) but I think you raised a valid concern.
I too once really "shook my head" a bit about the whole sponsor/sponsee relationship...but well, as far as my sponsor seems so far. She is no sort of dictator and does not strike me as the sort who "gets off" by being the boss of someone (I do think that exists...as we addicts tend to have some control issues). So far...she just strikes me as a concerned friend who has lived a decade sober and knows far more about the "program" than I do.
I have been studying "addiction" for a few years now. It's like a hobby and it is very pertinent to my business of weight loss. What I learned in my years working for corporate weight loss ...well, ya know what works?
Support, accountability and coaching... someone in your corner who has walked the walk...
My participation in AA is very concentrated..and well, quite limited to the folks in my "homegroup"... I committed to one meeting..once a week.
And ya know what happened? Instead of hitting meeting after meeting..going round and round looking for a homegroup...looking for a sponsor...trying to figure it all out...going round and round and round as I did back in 2006/2007...never getting close to anyone.
I picked one meeting.
I picked one group.
One funky little group who didn't seem like the others...at all.
And geepers, didn't my choice to go "small"...result in...."community".
And I had an "aha" moment.
People can heal in the caring community of others who understand.
I like it small and funky and a bit odd.. a band of lovely misfits. I am the newcomer at not even 3 months continuous sobriety. Some fellow who "transferred" to our group just recently..to make it like a total of hmmm.. 7 people maybe...celebrated 30 years last night. He was an eloquent speaker. Something about that man makes me feel safe... he's like some sort of "recovery dad". It's awesome. He is not pushy or overbearing..he is just a lovely soul.
Last night our little meeting was full to bursting as folks were there who need the guy celebrating 30 years. It was really odd...as we are largely..unpopular. But someone came up to me who had noticed me at various meetings before I met my homegroup..just to say "hey..didn't think you were around..I never see you!". I had to tell him..well, that's cuz I only come here. I was braced for a wagging finger telling me I needed to him more meetings..but there wasn't one. Turns out he was the sponsee of the fellow celebrating 30 years...
Anyhoo...I certainly realize AA is not for everyone. It wasn't for me...and then I changed my mind.
It is NOT the only way.
Right now..it's working for me... in a tiny little community way.
Sorry for the long post...I just wanted to share something I have found surprising.
AA is not my whole life..and I hope it never will be. But I sure like what I have so far.
I too once really "shook my head" a bit about the whole sponsor/sponsee relationship...but well, as far as my sponsor seems so far. She is no sort of dictator and does not strike me as the sort who "gets off" by being the boss of someone (I do think that exists...as we addicts tend to have some control issues). So far...she just strikes me as a concerned friend who has lived a decade sober and knows far more about the "program" than I do.
I have been studying "addiction" for a few years now. It's like a hobby and it is very pertinent to my business of weight loss. What I learned in my years working for corporate weight loss ...well, ya know what works?
Support, accountability and coaching... someone in your corner who has walked the walk...
My participation in AA is very concentrated..and well, quite limited to the folks in my "homegroup"... I committed to one meeting..once a week.
And ya know what happened? Instead of hitting meeting after meeting..going round and round looking for a homegroup...looking for a sponsor...trying to figure it all out...going round and round and round as I did back in 2006/2007...never getting close to anyone.
I picked one meeting.
I picked one group.
One funky little group who didn't seem like the others...at all.
And geepers, didn't my choice to go "small"...result in...."community".
And I had an "aha" moment.
People can heal in the caring community of others who understand.
I like it small and funky and a bit odd.. a band of lovely misfits. I am the newcomer at not even 3 months continuous sobriety. Some fellow who "transferred" to our group just recently..to make it like a total of hmmm.. 7 people maybe...celebrated 30 years last night. He was an eloquent speaker. Something about that man makes me feel safe... he's like some sort of "recovery dad". It's awesome. He is not pushy or overbearing..he is just a lovely soul.
Last night our little meeting was full to bursting as folks were there who need the guy celebrating 30 years. It was really odd...as we are largely..unpopular. But someone came up to me who had noticed me at various meetings before I met my homegroup..just to say "hey..didn't think you were around..I never see you!". I had to tell him..well, that's cuz I only come here. I was braced for a wagging finger telling me I needed to him more meetings..but there wasn't one. Turns out he was the sponsee of the fellow celebrating 30 years...
Anyhoo...I certainly realize AA is not for everyone. It wasn't for me...and then I changed my mind.
It is NOT the only way.
Right now..it's working for me... in a tiny little community way.
Sorry for the long post...I just wanted to share something I have found surprising.
AA is not my whole life..and I hope it never will be. But I sure like what I have so far.
the booze robs many of us of these things as we simpley can not get off the drink
all we did all day was drink and hunt for money for more drink
so while 1 meeting a week might do for someone who is only mildly afflicted it would do no good for someone who is a 24 / 7 drinker who has no money and no where else to go
so for me i had to do day and night meetings just to get with people and accept there help, to get out of my flat and out of the isolation etc, i was to far gone to go out shopping or out for a hair do or out to meet people my life was over so there was nothing else left to do but to start learning how to live again
if i still had my job and my home etc i dare say i wouldnt of needed as much help as i did need by the aa memebers
for anyone who fails to understand what i mean its simple
carry on drinking till have have nothing left not even a computer for on line help to turn to
then figure out were your going to find help ?
there are so many way people can find help these days and more to the point they can try to stop themselves from losing it all like i did so its a good thing that people can stop a hell of a the way up the ladder
but please remember some people dont or wont take any help at all untill they end up with nothing
you dont see many tramps sitting around in aa rooms only plenty of people who quit in time before they ended up a tramp
Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Lakeside, Ca
Posts: 10,208
Originally Posted by Nuudawn
It dawns on me...if I were to decide to go back drinking, geezus...THESE PEOPLE would know. I'd have to slink away and perhaps have to deak away from them in grocery stores and malls...
They said hi to me but I could not help but notice the sad look in their eyes as they looked at the 18 pack. It was if they were thinking -- poor guy he's back on the road that only leads down to the pits. Why would they think this ? They had heard me share often in AA.
MM
Member
Join Date: May 2014
Location: liverpool, england
Posts: 1,708
Originally Posted by MIRecovery
One alcoholic talking to another. Dr Bob said he would give Bill W 15 minutes. 6 hours later Bill was still there. AA works. How or why I'm not sure but work it does
but it works how ever it does it works
i often ask myself how can a bunch of drunks sitting around a table talking help us but it does, for me i listen and i learn, the only sad part for me is whatever i learn in the meeting i tend to forget shortly after hence i have to go back for more as i just have a memory issue that has lasted me most of my life lol
i just hope one day i dont forget i am an alcoholic : )
Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Ohio
Posts: 3,785
Originally Posted by Nuudawn
In all honesty...I feel like I might have just got lucky. Had I not found this group...
Sneaky Woman! LOL
Trudgin
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 6,348
Yes! Accountability to ourselves from others.....it's a very old, simple and reliable process.
I would suggest the "magic" = the grace to be comfortable in our own skin and our sobriety, comes via the promises from doing (ACTION) the steps.
1,2,3 are me
4&5 are you
6,7,8 are God
9 is you
10,11 are me with God
12 is all you
Simple, effective and proactive!!
peace to us all
I would suggest the "magic" = the grace to be comfortable in our own skin and our sobriety, comes via the promises from doing (ACTION) the steps.
1,2,3 are me
4&5 are you
6,7,8 are God
9 is you
10,11 are me with God
12 is all you
Simple, effective and proactive!!
peace to us all
Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Berwick
Posts: 128
Originally Posted by MIRecovery
One alcoholic talking to another. Dr Bob said he would give Bill W 15 minutes. 6 hours later Bill was still there. AA works. How or why I'm not sure but work it does
Hebrews 10:24-25
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Seems they were into "meetings" and helping each other long before any of us came along.And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Silly old God botherers eh?
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Canada
Posts: 4,580
Originally Posted by whalebelow2
From the Bible
Silly old God botherers eh?
Hebrews 10:24-25
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Seems they were into "meetings" and helping each other long before any of us came along.And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Silly old God botherers eh?
I had a segue leading up to the following quote from "Addiction & Grace" by Gerald May I am currently reading..but I will leave you with it only as well..I'm too lazy to type up why. I think you might get the gist of it anyway.
"Like the prodigal, we may choose to come home. But at this point, after years of displacing desire and of adapting to addictions elsewhere, home will not seem normal. Thus we respond to God's homeward call with a mixture of hope and fear. Something in us knows that this home is where we belong, but in many ways it also feels like it alien territory. The journey homeward, the process of homemaking in God involves withdrawal from addiction behaviours that have become normal for us. In withdrawal, attachments are lessened, and their energy is freed for simpler, purer desire and care. In other words, human desire is freed for love."
Although I have only begun this path, I have already noticed a growing and care and interest in others...rather than how I will spend the evening with my wine...
Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Berwick
Posts: 128
Alcohol-ISM
Internal Spiritual Maladjustment
The strongest booze is known as "Spirits"
The irony was a bit of a shock at first.
By the way... Sounds like the first inkling of a spiritual awakening.
Don't worry, all that means is you've been asleep quite a while
Internal Spiritual Maladjustment
The strongest booze is known as "Spirits"
The irony was a bit of a shock at first.
By the way... Sounds like the first inkling of a spiritual awakening.
Don't worry, all that means is you've been asleep quite a while
Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Berwick
Posts: 128
Are you familiar with the twelve promises in the big book?
Try reading them and putting "when ever I drank alcohol "
In front of each one.
** Credit to Joe & Charlie and their famous big book study for that one. }
Try reading them and putting "when ever I drank alcohol "
In front of each one.
** Credit to Joe & Charlie and their famous big book study for that one. }
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