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

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

CONTINUE TO GROW ALONG SPIRITUAL LINES

AND THAT'S THE WAY IT IS...2008
"..CONTINUE TO GROW ALONG SPIRITUAL LINES."
(MY FAVORITE SIX WORDS IN BB)

Went to a MEN'S meeting last night at a homeless shelter. It was good for me to get "back with the boys"! And now I realize (again) that a homeless shelter is NOT where I ever wish to live for more than an hour or two at a time--as for an 'AA meeting.


When I arrived at the door, in 1974 (it rhymes!), of Alcoholics Anonymous in Naples FL, there were no halfway houses, or treatment centers (here). We had to 'tough it out"...but I didn't know that's what we were doing. I remember them saying, "If ya wanna quit drinking...quit drinking!" Sounded logical to ME. And I came back the following week...and kept coming back, each week, without taking a drink in between meetings.

AND, I was a BARTENDER those days! That's really what 'saved' my skin. I could actually SEE, that excessive amounts of booze was doing to my people--my customers--what it had done to me.

Now this morning I am having breakfast with my new sponsor Don, who says the same thing to new people. The ones who listen to him likely will make it. (I'm not implying that those who don't listen to him will NOT make it!). The whole thing is that I stopped drinking FIRST, and THEN came to AA the next night. My AA program is NOT one of stopping something. It is a program of DOING something, of learning how to live. How to live HAPPILY without drinking.

And I have been doing that for a long time. I must warn myself again, though--and maybe others who have long-time sobriety--that complacency is NOT a virtue! Procrastination is NOT a virtue. Non-virtuous thinking and/or behavior is NOT a virtue.

Doing my best to live the kind of life which conforms to God's will, IS virtue! And with His continuous help, I--and you all--will do just that, at least for today!

Steve E.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

I had to DELETE today's BLOG, with COMMENTS...and re-post it in order to protect the anonymity of one of our members. Thank You,

Steve E.

J-Online said...

Oh Steve, I am so sorry. I really appreciate your help though and will be much more careful. Thank you. Jenn

Laura said...

Hi SteveE...

Thank you for sharing this honest to goodness truth. It applies in any walk of life, really.

Always striving to grow spiritually!

Hugs.

Patricia Marie said...

I sent your email another invite. No Problem. I know Patrick aka Mikey can be a pain.

ttt said...

Stevie Baby, I don't get it when you say, If you want to stop drinking, stop drinking. If you could you would have, right? I could not have stopped the compulsive overeating without starting the 12-step program. I could not stop it by myself. Trying to really buckle down and stop it made me actually eat more.

I love talking to you and I want to pick your brain. I've been wanting to hit an AA meeting actually. I'll shoot you an email.

Syd said...

Steve, I'm glad that you walk the walk in your life. And that the no nonsense words of your sponsor will likely save those who listen.

Shadow said...

simple step that lead to success. i'm amazed you were a bartender and newly sober at the same time. admirable. says something about willpower and determination!

Unknown said...

Amen brother!

Happy Thursday ~

dAAve said...

Well said.

Mary Christine said...

Amen. We cannot provide the desire. That is all it takes to get started, but we can't provide it.

Chris said...

Being a bartender has helped me in a way with my sobriety.I don't have the urge to drink while I'm working I have a job to do and it pays the bills! But I see myself the alcoholic in every one of them. I think you commented before about that on my blog. I want to scream at them and give them water! I do have the right to refuse service to anyone. But I don't push my opinions on people. Quite a few have asked me how did I do it like there is some kind of magic or button you can push. It's only been 42 days for me which I'm very proud of. :) I try to be honest it's hard but your not alone! I was lucky before I got my support system in place to find some good blogs that helped change my way of thinking. Everybody is scared of AA I was and still am. IT'S NOT AA it's me I used alcohol to suppress feelings and now what do I do with them?
I hate feeling like I ruin these peoples lives cause I have become friends with a few people that come there. it's there decision I guess. But should I be so honest about it being hard? I tell them it's not so hard when you realize you got to take it day by day. And when you realize what you can control and what you can't things become easier. One of my best friends told me a few days ago he's going to lose his daughter and girlfriend and everything if he doesn't stop drinking! What do I say? it's like he's asking for help and I don't know how to give it to him.But anyways this has been a great few days after my near disaster it's all in the past now. I got my first Big Book yesterday! :-) Hope all is going well for you! Wow I'm going to copy this to my blog I think I wrote you a blog post! LOL