AA Thread - August

[retteacher]

Everyone:

It's wonderful to start another sober month. This is month 10 for me since my relapse of last summer. I'm ever grateful to be sober.

I just read the end of last month's thread:
Phil: I too don't always appreciate the message of the Serenity Prayer.
UKB: It's non-sectarian enough for anyone to say & learn from it. I've heard: "HP" instead of "God" start it off. I always try to remember that our HP is very personal.

Deter: Our friends & sponsors in AA are always going to be human too. I try not to put anyone on a pedestal...least of all myself. I've proven over & over that I too have feet of clay. Change is difficult for anyone...especially for the alcoholic. I went through most changes in my life drunk...especially if they were unpleasant. Now, I have to learn to take life on life's terms. My biggest lesson.

Take care one & all. My son & his kids are coming for a week soon. It's a fun but hectic week. I'll be checking in, as I'll need the strength & unconditional support I get here. Last year, I didn't skip meetings for the week they were here. They proved valuable. I'm glad I went.

Mary

[Determinator]

AA Thread - August

Mary, so proud of your 10+ months! how fabulous.

enjoy your family. sober family times are now so precious for me.

happy to say my sponsor showed up a day early and was at today's noon meeting. he looked well and we chatted briefly. going to try and meet up tomorrow morning. maybe he's ok and was having a hard time for other reasons. heck, life is complicated without any alcoholic input!

be well everyone

[retteacher]

AA Thread - August

Something from a recent speaker: Life was so very complicated when I was drinking. It took up all my energy in the planning, consumption, & aftermath. Life is so much simpler sober. I don't have to think so much. (paraphrase)

When she said the above, I remember all the machinations that went into drinking.
-planning
-obsessing
-acting sober
-replacing liquor I had drunk
-getting rid of bottles
-recovering
-& on & on

It is so much simpler to be sober.
-Now, I try to find the best course of action.
-Now, I deal w/life ODAT.
-Now, I fill my time w/constructive activities.
-Now, I have real relationships.
-etc.

Change is hard but so worth it. I won't go back.

M

[Solitaire]

AA Thread - August

5am, 5 August....
I just woke up, kettle is on...
My name is Sol, I am an alcoholic and I have been sober for one year.
But for the Grace of God and the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Keep coming back, it works if you work it!
Sober hugs from Africa,
Sol xxx

[caysea]

AA Thread - August

Hi All
Hi Sol so great to hear you are strong in your sober life. Congrats on the year !! I know from our chats that not only have you turned your life around but have been involved in helping many others with your involvement with AA.
It has been awhile since chat has been active so good to read about your success

I do enjoy this tread daily. It is another place here at MWO that can be counted on to be strong in the AF message. For many of us we have come to realize this is our only option. In time nothing seems missed and a new happier life is enjoyed.

Thank you AA members for your shared experiences. It adds a lot here.

Keep Fighting and Stay Healthy
AF. 5-16-08

[retteacher]

AA Thread - August

Sol: I'm so proud of you! Congratulations & thank you for coming here & telling us about your 1st anniversary. I'm right behind you.

Caysea: Thanks for sharing here. I too love this thread. I come every day I possibly can. One of the foundations of the AA program is service (to others...especially the struggling alcoholic). The symbol of AA is a triangle. The 3 legs: recovery, unity, service. Pretty simple...it works!

Mary

[retteacher]

AA Thread - August

Everyone: I just wanted to check in here. I haven't been able to go to a meeting for a few days. My kids/grandkids are staying w/us this week. It's fun but exhausting. I will go tomorrow hopefully. I hope all is well w/everyone out there. Mary

[bettygirl]

AA Thread - August

ha! I just said goodbye to my brother and his 3 and 5 year old, so I hear you mary! I have been off the AA mill and in real life and loving it. things are good except for my hip. have to do 3 weeks on crutches and, if possible, no weight on my left leg...it is soooooo hard! I am swimming daily and trying not to get down about it...it will heal!

take care all and congrats on the year sol and mary, happy 10 months sister! we made it

betty

[retteacher]

AA Thread - August

Yes we did! We left everyone to fend for themselves & went to a 2 speaker meeting last night. It was good to hear some AA stuff. There's a lot going on in my life right now, but it's so much easier sober. I don't know how I did it under the influence...not very well I'm sure. Take care one & all. I'll be in touch. Mary

[dancelot]

AA Thread - August

Because of y'all.....

Hello to all the AA thread folks! I don't come here often anymore but i wanted to stop in to say, "Thank you."

Yesterday I had the privilege of celebrating 4 years sober - and I'm not sure I'd be able to say that if I hadn't discovered the AA thread and decided I "wanted what you had,"
or more accurately, knew inside I desperately needed. I saw and felt some real peace here that I wasn't getting elsewhere. I was alcohol free, with the help of this forum, but the cake still was missing the icing. That's I found here on the AA thread.

So thank you all for giving me some insight into the program, answering my questions, and giving me the encouragement to just check it out. I was so terrified of just walking into a roomful of "strangers." When I finally got up the nerve to try it, I imagined that inside were Doggygirl, Mary, Phil and the others I'd talked to here. That got me through my anxiety attack about even getting out of the car. That got me in the door, where a nice lady took me by the hand when I told her I was looking for the meeting and had never been to one. Now I see walking into any AA meeting as going to see my friends, whether we've ever met or not. It is good to see some old faces (not "see" I guess, but you know what I mean!) and some new ones too!

Sol, I am thrilled to hear you have one year!!!!! I remember you from chat way back when, and I loved talking to you! So BIG, BIG, BIG congratulations to you!!!!! :l

Det, you were the first person I talked to when I logged onto chat 4 years ago. I didn't realize anyone could "see" me, and it surprised me that someone said hello (I was just gonna watch). I've always been grateful you were the first person I met. You were straightforward, but also kind. I'm happy to see you here - I know what AA has done for me. I don't work a perfect program (well they tell us that at the start every meeting don't they?) and I'm sure no saint, but I take what I can and leave the rest - if I need it, it will still be there if I need it. This is some advice a member gave me at my second meeting, and it still works today.

(Disclaimer - I'm not advising anyone to not work the program - sometimes my "best" ain't real great - but I always stay as willing as possible - when I do that I always make forward progress, which I can't always see except in hindsight)

Mary, I am happy you are still here. No matter what, "keep coming back." Congratulations on 10 months! :l

Caysea, it's always great to see you! You were always a role model to me at MWO - and are still!

Bettygirl, it's nice to meet you!

Anyway, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU and love and peace and blessings to you all!!!! :h

Lisa

[cpn1004]

AA Thread - August

Lisa,
Thanks for posting. Congratulations on your 4 years. That is a big deal.
I must say I find comfort in every AA meeting I attend. If I don't get something out of the meeting, then there is probably something wrong with me.

[retteacher]

AA Thread - August

Dance: Firstly, congratulations on your huge accomplishment of 4 years sober. What a lovely post! I love how you put going beyond being AF as the icing on the cake. There's so much more to sobriety than not drinking. I see that more & more each day.

I absolutely love that I can go into AA meetings anywhere around the country & they welcome me as a friend. We're planning a month in TX to be w/our son & g-kids in Feb. I've already looked up the meetings. There are plenty!

Hi Phil.

Mary

[Determinator]

AA Thread - August

Dancelot! I'm just soooooo pleased to hear of your marvelous success in sobriety! smiles all over me here. hope to catch you in chat sometime ok?

hugs also to Betty, Phil, Mary, and anyone I'm missing.

looking forward to noon meeting tomorrow. I really love my homegroup.

xxxxxxxx

[retteacher]

AA Thread - August

Hi Everyone:

I just had a talk w/my sponsor about service. I am GSR (general service rep) for one of my groups. It's a 2 year commitment, & my time is up in Jan. '14. I'm thinking that once I get my year of sobriety after the slip, I will volunteer for temp sponsor. I would like to work w/a newcomer at some point.

It was a busy week w/my son/his g-friend/his kids here. One of my char. defects is trying to do everything myself...not asking for help...then feeling resentful afterwards. This time, I did ask for help & am glad I did. I'm working steps 6/7 & realize that I have to act "as if" in order for the defects to be removed. I have to do the footwork.

I hope all is well. I have a good speaker meeting to go to tonight. Mary

[retteacher]

AA Thread - August

That speaker meeting on Tues was wonderful. It was a woman speaker who kept her job throughout the drinking, as did I. She didn't think she had a prob until she went to AA & began to identify.

The am meeting today was on change. I realize that any change, uncomfortableness, conflict, etc. was threatening enough to me to want to blunt it all w/alcohol. I'm learning that dealing w/change, etc. is so much better for my growth & mental health. Good meeting.

M