Redmayne

Along time has now passed since the night of the 14th/15th Feb., 2008 when I had what Dr. Silkworth refers to in the book,'Alcoholics Anonymous' as 'a psychic or spiritual experience' and my desire to drink alcohol was removed from me...

All of which was greatly helped by my reading my own, now well thumbed, marked and scribbled in copy of the book,'Alcoholics Anonymous .'

Accompanied by listening to a copy of a recording of one of ,'Joe & Charlie:Big Book Study Meeting,' which had been handed to me at the last two AA meetings I attended.

You seen it's a funny thing,every time I start feeling 'twitchy' and I've 'lost my way', I expect many reading this will share that feeling in recovery...

The answers there in front of me,all I have to do is go through the whole routine I did so many sober years ago of picking up the Big Book, 'dusting off' my treasured copy of 'Joe & Charlie' regrettably now no longer with us. And I get a new lease of life!

Everything and everyone falls into place and I know who and perhaps what I am. I'm an alcoholic by the way,but you guessed that already....didn't you?

So, if by chance you've never heard of Joe Charlie or you're sober now but have been for whatever reason. Give yourself not just a chance,but a new lease of life..

And change your perspective..

Hevyn

I'm really glad you mentioned Joe & Charlie, Redmayne. I have a Big Book but never really dove in - now might be a good time. Having 11 yrs. sober doesn't guarantee anything.

dwtbd

Where does the doubt in one's ability to remain abstinent come from ?

I define that doubt as AV, but I assume that doubt will always be identifiable and that I will always , always be able to separate from it.

I don't think I would have quit if I didn't think that, I think that mindset is the only thing that allowed me to quit.

Redmayne

I always think, when contemplating ones ability to do anything, it's best to remember this,

'You have power over your mind, everything else is external. Remember this and you will gain strength' - Marcus Aurelius.

An is the main problem for the alcoholic centers in the mind - see the book, 'Alcoholics Anonymous'.

What better place to start, it's a very useful tool in learning to change your perspective.

snitch

Thank you Redmayne. I really needed to read this tonight. I am just over a year sober and everything is pretty good, a million times better from where I was this time last year. But for the last week I have been having drinking dreams every night and the last 2 days strong drinking thoughts. Ugh. I am on step 4 and procrastinating. You are right, I will dive back in to my book and crack on with my step and listen to a bit of Joe and Charlie tonight too. I love them.

Thank you for sharing.

snitch

Also thankful for the reminder. My alcoholism centres in my mind! I