DRINKING ALCOHOL TAUGHT ME HOW TO FLY
THEN IT TOOK AWAY THE SKY

Saturday, August 9, 2008

A BRAND NEW AA GAL

SOBER "K"


This is a follow-up of a story about an alcoholic girl who God sort of dropped on our doorstep for one night only a couple weeks ago. For us, it was a totally spiritual Thursday night of talking, and a wonderful Friday morning AA meeting:

On July 25, I 'logged that 17-year-old "K", attended her first AA meeting that Friday morning in Naples at 7 AM. K. lives in Virginia. Anna and I both talked to her today...she has been sober ten days now, has a 21-year-old sponsor (sober three years)...and is doing...well...OK? Had a rough time of it a few days ago, so she called an AA gal. And today she shouted over the phone at us, two words which say it best, "IT WORKED!"

As it turns out, her sponsor's sponsor lives right behind her house. What a bonus!

Her parents give her problems--they are without a clue, that their daughter is suffering from a fatal disease, alcoholism...but then who--outside of us kind of people--can, on a deep level, really understand that? So they are in that real muddy river of denial. This makes meeting attendance, and adherence to a Twelve-Step Program difficult for a high schooler. However, haven't we found that students in high school can get around their parents for ALL KINDS of so-called difficult situations, and usually come out the winner, parents still being in the dark?

K's sponsor insists that she call her EVERY day for thirty days (a good start?!). And, K. told us, she now realizes that it is not so much about her 'drinking', but about her 'thinking'. How about that! It's what we talked about a couple weeks ago, that Thursday night. How long a time it took ME to 'hear' that truth? Well, well, live and learn! Hopefully, there will be future occasions in the life of "Sober K." which I'll find worthy of publishing on these pages.

Just wanted to share a little bit of the wealth with y'all. That "wealth" is, of course, that God allows us, every so often, to see what He "hath wrought" through our willfully letting ourselves be used by Him, for His honor and glory, and for another person's discovering where sobriety really can be found, AND what sobriety really IS.

May he bless whoever might read this.


MORE: This morning I attended a meeting during which a girl named Polly shared with me. (Polly is a girl who sat next to K. and Anna, my wife, that "other" Friday morning meeting. And Polly told me that just last night K. had Emailed HER! And Polly (a girl who WILL follow up) said to me "That was SO cool!"

Guess that means the same thing as when I say, "WOW! GREAT!"


"It is good that we are here..." Now, I wonder who said that? (hint) St. Peter?

6 comments:

Shadow said...

i think 'that's cool' too. for a teenager to get that thinking vs drinking bit. took me a while to get that to stop drinking is only a teeny tiny part of the whole process. i count myself lucky today that whatever it was that happened, happened. i said only today, that the need to drink has passed me by. i've learnt the right life skills to get me to cope, vs having to dull and run away from things. better late than never someone said too...

J-Online said...

Hey Steve,
Thanks for sharing. It's good to be reminded that not everyone understands this disease. Many blessings to you and your family this weekend. j

Lou said...

Let's hope she gets it at this young age. Thankfully, she has found some sincere help & support.

Laura said...

This brings tears to my eyes and joy to my soul. I remember when you posted about her a few weeks ago. How awesome for "K" to have so many who care and that "K" is finding the God given strength to step up to the line and take her life back! Yay, God!! Yay Steve and Anna for being in His service. You two Rock!

Chris said...

Thanks for your comments on my blog! It's been 36 days things started out a mess. But I've been doing everything possible to keep on track. Things finally have calmed down and I'm enjoying my friends and family again.I'm not going anywhere.

Princess Powerless said...

The miracle of the program in action! Yay for K!