Living Life on Life’s Terms – Sober
It is such a pleasure to lead this week’s discussion. I will be sober 9 months on the 15th and am dealing with many of life’s “firsts”. The Christmas holidays (last year), my birthday right after Christmas, New Years, all the other holidays until now. Dealing with stress on the job or in the home without picking up a drink- it was always how I coped with life. Drinking was a good friend who was always there.
Yesterday I attended the funeral of a very good friend’s mother, and this was another first- I didn’t drink after the funeral. Any other funeral always had a bottle of something that helped me to relax after. When my dad died last year, I was with him for the month prior to him passing from “the big C” as he called it. During that month, I drank like a fish every day. I can say now that even though I was there, I wasn’t really present. I was numb. I drank very heavily after he passed and continued to numb the sensation of the loss with alcohol. It’s all I knew, drinking was always my coping mechanism.
Yesterday, I was in the moment and felt the pain and compassion for the family of this dear person – and it was fine! I wasn’t overcome with grief, and I wasn’t obnoxious (drinking would do that to me). I was able to comfort the family and be there for them – 100%.
I know this program provides the strength to handle life on life’s terms. Saying the Serenity Prayer and praying for others – not just for myself – gives me the strength I need to make it through each day. Going to meetings regularly and working with my sponsor helps me to stay sober for another 24, even when life throws a curveball.
Please take a moment and share with our sisters how you are coping with the difficulties of life as they rear their ugly heads. How do you do it? What keeps you going when you’re faced with adversity and how you’re able to manage life on life’s terms.
Page 417 from the Big Book states, “Until I could accept my alcoholism, I could not stay sober; unless I accept my life completely on life’s terms, I cannot be happy. I need to concentrate not so much on what needs to be changed in the world as on what needs to be changed in me and in my attitudes.”