Don’t Drink No Matter What
When I first came into the program, Sept. 30, 1992 … it happen to be on a Wednesday (just like this year) and it happen to be a celebration meeting. A friend of the family was celebrating, I hadn’t even known that he finally got sober!! What an HP shot that was. He thought I was there to support him, I told him it was my first meeting, and he welcomed me, introduced me to some ladies, and was a big part of my recovery. He suggested I find a sponsor right away … a woman that had what I wanted.
I found one within a couple weeks or less, I believe. She told me this is a simple program for complicated minds so she’s gonna KISS (keep it simple silly) … don’t pick up the first drink no matter what … you call me first … go to meetings and we will start the steps.
Hmmm. Don’t pick up no matter what … well, my sisters … as some of the long-timers here know me … I’ve been through the ringer in sobriety … 23 years … I’ve been in accidents, surgeries, losses of my father and other friends, health issues galore … bed bound, house bound, able bodied to house bound again and this list could go on … but one thing I knew during it all … and despite on a few occasions of thinking, “I want a drink” … Yes, I said it, I did NOT pick up no matter what!!
I am not immune to this disease. I have 23 years of tools, sobriety, ESH, some sanity, smiles … however, I only have today. I am only guaranteed 24 hours depending on the condition of my spirituality. That means, for this alkie, I need to go to meetings, work the steps in my life daily, work them formally every few years, call my sponsor once a week or more if needed, and be of service … only then might I have a chance at not drinking today. Dependent on my spiritual conditioning … I have not always handled everything gracefully; however, I have not picked up a drink. I have had times of emotional and spiritual relapses and slips … I have not picked up a drink no matter what!
Currently, I am going through testing for more health issues, as I shared earlier, I have a service dog of 13 years that is up and down with her failing health and a few other things … however … I don’t pick up no matter what … If the thought crosses my mind (as it did when I thought I had to put Haylee down … and there is going to come a time … sooner hopefully later that this will have to happen) I call my sponsor, my network, I share about it, I pray about it, I turn it over as many times as I need to … .I just don’t act on it … I think it through and I stop the thought! I don’t pick up no matter what …
So, I hope that made sense … please share on what you might do to take care of your sobriety today and Not Pick Up No Matter What … .or anything else on your heart today …