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

Friday, July 31, 2009

SIX OR SIX HUNDRED


A bit early, Okay?
MY SIX-WORD SATURDAY

"THE RIDE WAS WORTH THE WAIT"


MY 600-WORD SATURDAY


LIVING WITH JOY


At my first meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous, I didn't wait for someone to "give" me a Big Book. I bought one. I wanted it all--right now!

When it was announced that people could borrow a long-timer's book titled "A.A. Comes of Age", I got in front of the line. I devoured the contents of that book in two nights. I was not a reader then, nor now. But I wanted it all--right now!

My second meeting, one week later (this was in March 1974), I discovered the GRAPEVINE, and became a subscriber immediately. I wanted all of it--NOW!

The August 2009 Grapevine I am holding in my hand at this moment has some special significance for me. The theme for this month's 'special section' is THE JOY OF LIVING.

My father, an extremely active deaf-and-blind guy, died in 1978. Two nuns wrote a book about him--self-published--titled LIVING WITH JOY. Imagine!


Each time I have run across those words (The joy of living) in our AA literature, it has occasioned the memory of my Pop who could not fathom people having a problem with alcohol...other than that they were spineless creatures who could not control themselves.

Example: I was "dumb" for drinking too much, and creating problems all around me and my family, later with my friends, and more later, with fellow students in high school and college, and after that, bigger problems with co-workers, then legal problems.


Pop said often to me, "You can do everything...everything, in moderation. If you cannot do that, you are nothing but a weakling.

He, who, all my life--in German--called me "500 dumb asses" many, many times in public until he died in 1978...is probably one of the reasons I stayed alcohol-free from the night before my first AA meeting. I would stay drink-free in spite of his crap, I decided. He was my "enabler"--my father enabled me to stay sober! How about that? Thanks, Pop! I sincerely mean "thanks".


Stay sober with me today...please? I need you all to be here where I can read and learn, and change.

I am grateful for a growing list of grat'es...but this blog is long enough (again!). So, another time. Thank You God! For all of this "everything"! WWW--What a Wonderful World!

Peace, Bloggers!
LOVE, Bloggers!
from Steve

15 comments:

dAAve said...

Danke.

Judith said...

LOL, an enabler to stay sober.

Unknown said...

Wow, Steve- There's a lot here. You must have mixed feelings about your dad, since it sounds like he was both amazing and, well, kind of mean. But I guess we all have mixed feelings about our parents, don't we?

I am inspired by your plea to stay with you in sobriety. I think that's a good enough reason for today!

And just for fun, I wanted to make you feel old... I was BORN in 1974!!

Andrew said...

What a neat twist. An enabler to stay sober.

steveroni said...

dAAve: Bitte(?)

VR: I want to have God as my "enabler" now--workin' on it. "WIP" (Work In Progress!)

Eli: Weelll, my first "baby" words were "I'm Steve. I'm an alcoholic!"

Andrew: I am glad we know each other

Gin said...

Great post Steve. When does the trip start? I'm heading up the turnpike tomorrow towards Gainesville to visit my parents. Maybe I'll see you on your scooter. You'll be the one blogging right?

Mike Golch said...

Just stopped by to say.I had one rotten day,by I'm still greatfully sober.

hannah said...

Love this post...had to read it a couple of times. I think I'll let myself off the hook for calling my son a dumb ass one time in the privacy of our home and then later apologized profusely. Take care.

Carol said...

Liked your six words, how about . . . when ego takes over, wisdom recedes.

Peace, brudder.

steveroni said...

Gin: I'm lookin' at August 21 (if that's a Saturday?) and after that, it's all a mystery, even to me!

Mike: I'm sorry about your day, I'll email you if I have the address...I'll see.

Hannah, you are nice to comment so sweetly. Thank you. And you, with YOUR problems. Mine, of that nature are over...well, no, they are not! Oh, well. Just to let ya know what I think...apologies with addict son are your business, I guess "profusely" is also your biz, but I'll bet you could just do it "regular" and still sleep well. Consider it?
Peace. L

Lots of peeps care about you Moms!

Ed G. said...

Glad you found a solution that worked for you...

Blessings and aloha...

Anonymous said...

I am starting a 1hr 'unofficial' 11th step meditation telephone conference Sunday 7pm eastern with guest host.Post email on my blog if interested and I will send free conference telephone number. Ciao!

Jess Mistress of Mischief said...

I'm so excited for you! Can't wait to hear about each miraculous leg of the trip you take...

Is it selfish to want to hear the adventures and miracles of others?

I hope not, it bring so much JOY to see others achieve dreams!!!

Anonymous :) said...

OK. Just so I'm clear. If I call my daughters 'five hundred asses' in German, this will make them well. Once confirmed, I'm sending out two text messages.

wolfie185 said...

Thanks for sharing Steve, wonderful post. I will stay sober with you today.
Peace and love
Scott