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Recovery Thought of the Day (Sobriety)

Posted on 12/14/2004 3:17:59 PM PST by xcamel

Irish Proverb:

"First the man takes a drink; then the drink takes a drink; then the drink takes the man."

Short and simple. A hard and fast truth for those of us who are admitted alcoholics. Without recovery, the darker truth is "Incarceration, Insanity, or Death". I heard this early on, and tried to imagine if it had "really been that bad". Truth was, I was the only one who didn't know how bad. I was a highly functional drunk. I went to work (and drank for lunch). I did my job (and plotted a route to the fist available 6-pack). Had dinner ( another 6-er for a chaser). What a life.... Or not.

Drunk driving, drunk working, drunk socializing, the drinking had taken the man. I endured the usual ugly indignities, The lies, the deceit. I finally hit "enough" of a bottom to give up and admit only that I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. It didn't stop me for long. Eight more agonizing months of drinking and tearing myself to shreds mentally, I surrendered. To alcohol, to a Higher Power, to the lamp post if it would help end the pain. I turned myself over to the HP, the program of AA, and the people the HP put in my path to save my sorry butt. Two of the most important points remain painfully clear even now after 19 years and a little bit ...

If you can not remember when and where you hit bottom, you haven't.

If you can not remember your last drink, you haven't had it yet.

On a happier note, The Christmas Spirit comes not in a pretty bottle, but from those who freely give what they freely have been given.

JSC


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; Society
KEYWORDS: recovery; soberity

1 posted on 12/14/2004 3:18:00 PM PST by xcamel
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To: xcamel

So how long have you been sober?


2 posted on 12/14/2004 3:20:17 PM PST by johnny7 (“My voice is for War!” -George Armstrong Custer)
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To: xcamel
"First the man takes a drink; then the drink takes a drink; then the drink takes the man."

Yes. I think I'll go fix another drink.


3 posted on 12/14/2004 3:24:54 PM PST by Viking2002 (Taglines? Vikings don't need no steenkin' taglines..............)
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To: xcamel

Great thread... make sure to keep this up. My family is home to many fine, loving people who happen to be alcoholics, and it's a tough fight through the holidays. But by golly, when they fall off that wagon, they run to get back on it.

My brother's been sober for the last 10 years; he wrote a song about not drinking while others were drinking, and it gets requested at nearly every live show he does!

You all have lots of company out there, and lots more company from the people who love you. Keep up the good work!


4 posted on 12/14/2004 3:33:23 PM PST by dandelion (http://thequestionfairy.blogspot.com/)
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To: xcamel
"If you can not remember when and where you hit bottom, you haven't."


In my case rock bottom wasn't easy for me to spot. I had already found myself in a wheelchair and decided that my walking days were over and kept drinking. It wasn't until I realized that I was falling in love with the woman who would be my wife that I decided to quit. Since that day, every day has been brighter.
5 posted on 12/14/2004 3:34:36 PM PST by cripplecreek (I come swinging the olive branch of peace.)
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To: xcamel

Thanks- I like having this here:)

It's so sooo simple only a drunk like me could have missed it- if I don't pick up the FIRST drink, I won't get drunk.


6 posted on 12/14/2004 6:19:12 PM PST by SE Mom (God Bless our troops.)
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To: xcamel
Almost forgot - online meeting by email (all welcome)

Click here

7 posted on 12/14/2004 6:20:38 PM PST by xcamel (W2: Four more years of Tax Cuts and Dead Terrorists)
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To: xcamel

October 27, 1987. That was the day I went clean. I don't tell my story much, I don't want kids to think you can do drugs and succeed.


8 posted on 12/14/2004 8:00:14 PM PST by 82Marine89 (Robin Hood was a democrat.)
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To: TexasCowboy

ping


9 posted on 12/14/2004 10:30:42 PM PST by cyborg (http://www.zimbabwesituation.com/flamelily.html)
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To: cyborg; xcamel
Thanks, cyborg.

Xcamel, you told my story, too.

Today, I try to keep it simple and remember that the best things in life are not things.

10 posted on 12/15/2004 5:48:59 AM PST by TexasCowboy (Texan by birth, citizen of Jesusland by the Grace of God)
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