Sometimes I try to shake the guys I sponsor up a little and tell them, especially when they're whining of dealing with "feelings" or when the drama of life doesn't suit them. I like to get their full attention (sometimes hard to do) and carefully explain that, with nearly 26 years of experience in AA, "I still have not found anything that can 'fix' my feelings or the problems in front of me as quickly and as reliably as a 5th of Wild Turkey. I'm over 25 years sober today but I'll bet anything that it would work again today."
My several points are:
- That, though temporary, alcohol was (and is) a relief from emotional pains
- The program of AA does not promise any equiavlent instant relief
- If the only reason I'm in AA is to avoid emotional pain and drama, it's likely, at some time, I might find sufficient reason to drink
- If you're willing to deal with the consequences, drinking still will always appear to be an option, given sufficient pain
- This whole conversation needs to move from "working the program to avoid pain" to "working the program because my life depends on it"
- My sobriety today and in the future is a consequence of God's grace (I'm a big fan of grace)
I hope so...
5 comments:
Oh ya know I hear ya brother.
sounds like a pretty honest summary to me!
Very well said.
All Wild Turkey did for me was make me throw up and have a hangover. I am truly not an alcoholic. I just suffered through my pain and lived a life that I tried to fill with other stuff. The pain that I feel today will pass and can be processed with awareness.
At one time I was VERY partial to Wild Turkey and soda with lemon. It worked for a long time. Now the thought of smelling it makes my stomach curdle.
I started reading your posts on internet and blogging and ran out of time to read them thoroughly, but I will be back later.
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