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In the late 80's, having reached a middle management position in a large public organisation through a number of incidents concerning senior managers and my covert alcoholism I was asked to see a stress counsellor, after the first session I was handed a copy of Richard Back's book,'Jonathon Livingston Seagull' to read. I carried out the Counsellors instructions and didn't think it had the slightest thing to do with me, I was an alcoholic, after two more visits it was decided that I wasn't suffering from stress, I was disillusioned with the beaureaucratic, instituionalised structure of the organisation.

I was allowed to leave taking an ill health pension. Other careers followed but alcohol was fulfilling the old Chinese proverb,'First the man takes a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes a drink!'.

Even whilst drinking I pursued spirituality and knowledge, eventually on the 15th of Feb.,2008 my alcoholism was taken from me, every so often I reflect on,'Jonathon Livingston Seagull' described as a homily on home, family and self perfection.

In sobriety I can see it is me, only the,'self perfection' was what to me, as a ,'real alcoholic' that would have me drinking no matter what the circumstances, was self will, which of course is both referred to and described in the Big Book, 'Alcoholics Anonymous'

It is amazing then , both in and out of sobriety if you search for spirituality and those things perhaps not immediately apparent in any form how it will be revealed to you, Mike W.