Sobriety Thread

[Old Smokey]

Lost a friend to suicide Sunday night. I met him in the AA rooms about 20 years ago and we hit it off. After about a year he moved about 20 miles away and I didn't see him very often, but we always visited when our paths crossed. At times he did well with sobriety, but always seemed to find an excuse to drink again after a year or two.
About 10 years ago, my son and his daughter got married. At the wedding we both laughed about our kids getting married.
The last time I saw him, about a year ago, he was back to drinking again. Life went to shit about 4 months ago with him ending up in jail for assault and 5 days in ICU and the 96 hours in a psych ward. RIP David, I hope you have found peace.
Friends, I posted this as a reminder for all of us that the most important thing we do on a daily basis is not taking a drink. I have attended too many AA friends funerals who created an excuse to take a drink. One day at a time!

 

[Old Smokey]

We learn from watching those who stay sober as well as watching what happens to those that struggle. They are both our teachers.

 

[VeLoRoK]

Heard at a meeting last night, where a man celebrated 39 years and a woman celebrated 30 days for the fiftieth time in eight years. She said she was always so embarrassed and ashamed, thinking that all her litter-mates who stayed sober were looking down on her. The old timer says, "nobody's thinking that about you. They're thinking that they're grateful that they don't have to drink and how can they be helpful to you?"

 

[ZippoGeek]

Lost a friend to suicide Sunday night. I met him in the AA rooms about 20 years ago and we hit it off. After about a year he moved about 20 miles away and I didn't see him very often, but we always visited when our paths crossed. At times he did well with sobriety, but always seemed to find an excuse to drink again after a year or two.
About 10 years ago, my son and his daughter got married. At the wedding we both laughed about our kids getting married.
The last time I saw him, about a year ago, he was back to drinking again. Life went to shit about 4 months ago with him ending up in jail for assault and 5 days in ICU and the 96 hours in a psych ward. RIP David, I hope you have found peace.
Friends, I posted this as a reminder for all of us that the most important thing we do on a daily basis is not taking a drink. I have attended too many AA friends funerals who created an excuse to take a drink. One day at a time!

Thanks for this Steve. And sorry for your loss brother...

 

[tattootommy]

But for the grace of god and the aa fellowship Im happy to say that today I celebrate 2 years. If i can do it, anyone can.

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[ZippoGeek]

But for the grace of god and the aa fellowship Im happy to say that today I celebrate 2 years. If i can do it, anyone can.

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Love it brother! Congrats! Are you burning anything to celebrate?

 

[VeLoRoK]

But for the grace of god and the aa fellowship Im happy to say that today I celebrate 2 years. If i can do it, anyone can.

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Two years…IN A ROW?!?! Nice work dude.

 

[tattootommy]

Love it brother! Congrats! Are you burning anything to celebrate?

I got a couple of things in mind. 2015 cohiba espy

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[Tug197]

Hope you are all doing well!!

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[ZippoGeek]

By the grace of God I celebrated a year yesterday. Burned a 20th Anny Opus X.

This has been, without question, the best year of life. I did it ODAAT (One Day At A Time), working a program of ACTION, trying to help others and making adjustments along the way. When I wasn't able to call B.S. on myself, my sponsor did it for me. I am eternally grateful for that, and for all the awesome brothers here who helped make yesterday possible...thank you!

-jason

 

[johnbljr]

Congrats @ZippoGeek
I just passed 150 days/5 months this week.

 

[Old Smokey]

By the grace of God I celebrated a year yesterday. Burned a 20th Anny Opus X.

This has been, without question, the best year of life. I did it ODAAT (One Day At A Time), working a program of ACTION, trying to help others and making adjustments along the way. When I wasn't able to call B.S. on myself, my sponsor did it for me. I am eternally grateful for that, and for all the awesome brothers here who helped make yesterday possible...thank you!

-jason

That's awesome Jason! I am really happy for you. Pretty amazing way of life, eh? Keep doin what your doin and keep getting what your getting!

 

[VeLoRoK]

You know, the benefits of sobriety are not always what you'd expect. I just got off the phone with State farm about the burglary. Now you guys should know that I've had so many entitled, self-righteous resentments against corporations and insurance companies for a long time. They're real bastards, I used to think. Never want to take care of anyone, only trying to milk me for money and screw me out of what's mine. That's the old mind-frame. Now that I'm more of the do-the-right-thing mind-frame, I made certain that I wasn't going to be dishonest about what got stolen or the value of said items. And I felt pretty good about that. So now that they've told me that they're going to give me $1200 for my $8000 with of DJ equipment that got robbed, my thoughts are, "well, at least I didn't lie to them. I did the right thing." I'm not happy, but I'm at peace. Small victories.

 

[ZippoGeek]

now that they've told me that they're going to give me $1200 for my $8000 with of DJ equipment that got robbed, my thoughts are, "well, at least I didn't lie to them. I did the right thing." I'm not happy, but I'm at peace. Small victories.

Thanks for posting this. You're a better man than me brother...I probably would have flipped out for at least half a day!! I do believe we reap what we sow. You've already been rewarded for your honesty in that you have peace.

 

[VeLoRoK]

Thanks for posting this. You're a better man than me brother...I probably would have flipped out for at least half a day!! I do believe we reap what we sow. You've already been rewarded for your honesty in that you have peace.

Half a day of flippin' out ain't so bad for people like us. Better than a six day bender, anyway.

 

[Old Smokey]

I thought it was amazing how after I got the booze out of my system and began being open to having a relationship to a HP that I got my conscience back. I still had and still have some of my old behaviors, but I'm a work in progress. After all, I hadn't gotten to ask them be removed yet. I wasn't willing yet. That's where working the steps came in. Progress not perfection.

 

[tattootommy]

By the grace of God I celebrated a year yesterday. Burned a 20th Anny Opus X.

This has been, without question, the best year of life. I did it ODAAT (One Day At A Time), working a program of ACTION, trying to help others and making adjustments along the way. When I wasn't able to call B.S. on myself, my sponsor did it for me. I am eternally grateful for that, and for all the awesome brothers here who helped make yesterday possible...thank you!

-jason

Congrats @ZippoGeek
I just passed 150 days/5 months this week.

Congrats gents. Its a better way of life.

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[ZippoGeek]

Dealing with some self-pity today over a permanent health issue. There's absolutely nothing I can do about this; yet I sit here worrying. I'm worried because I love my sober life (which is a good thing! ) and the idea of death scares me. But worry is still self-centeredness on my part. Reaching out to get out of my head and give everyone a shout. Hope your days are blessed and all is well!

 

[Old Smokey]

Dealing with some self-pity today over a permanent health issue. There's absolutely nothing I can do about this; yet I sit here worrying. I'm worried because I love my sober life (which is a good thing! ) and the idea of death scares me. But worry is still self-centeredness on my part. Reaching out to get out of my head and give everyone a shout. Hope your days are blessed and all is well!

Living life sober presents lots of opportunities to practice these principles in all our affairs. Learning these life lesson often comes with inner turmoil before we learn and once again find peace. We don't always do it gracefully, but we do it.
I haven't dealt with health problems yet, but as I get older I am a prime subject.
I have experienced the deaths of both parents and both of my brothers. Losing everything we owned in a tornado and whatever happened I always knew that a drink or getting drunk would not fix it. Acceptance seems to be the solution to things that are out of our control.
You are in my prayers my friend!
Steve

 

[ZippoGeek]

Living life sober presents lots of opportunities to practice these principles in all our affairs. Learning these life lesson often comes with inner turmoil before we learn and once again find peace. We don't always do it gracefully, but we do it.
I haven't dealt with health problems yet, but as I get older I am a prime subject.
I have experienced the deaths of both parents and both of my brothers. Losing everything we owned in a tornado and whatever happened I always knew that a drink or getting drunk would not fix it. Acceptance seems to be the solution to things that are out of our control.
You are in my prayers my friend!
Steve

Thanks very much Steve!