If you are as seriously alcoholic as we were,we believe there is no middle-of-the-road solution.We were in a position where life was becoming impossible,and if we had passed into the regionfrom which there is no return through human aid,we had but two alternatives.One was to go on to the bitter end,blotting out the consciousness of our intolerable situationas best we could, and the other,to accept spiritual help.This we did because we honestly wanted to,and were willing to make the effort. c. 1976, 2001AAWS, Alcoholics Anonymous, pp. 25-6
This was the topic from a meeting I attended last night and it was a great discussion and a great reminder of just how high the stakes are for me. I have been getting a but squirrly lately, as I have several issues I am dealing with. It would be so easy to let those things become larger than they need to be and push myself closer to the edge. Last night I was reminded that the important thing is that choice......accept spiritual help or die. I am only one drink from death, but I have the opportunity to remain 12 steps away from that drink if I accept that help. Seems like a simple choice.....Not always an easy one. Most important for me right now are a few simple priciples.....
- Stay in the moment
- Maintain my spiritual condition
- Keep my issues right sized
- Stay connected: to my God, my honesty, my heart, and my fellowship
So for today I started with meditation, prayer for strength and guidance, got an orange, and siuted up and showed up to do the next right task before me.
7 comments:
I remember you telling me of the orange---
yep, trudging along doing the next right thing--- theres a certain joy in that today
I really like it put this way, as two alternatives. Either blot out the intolerable or accept spiritual assistance. What a beautifully simple way to put it, and seriously easy for even this stubborn fool to do without feeling like I've been a wimp. Blotting out sounds like the cheating way. I'm willing to work, but I do also have to remember to keep things "right sized". Great post.
Rex, when I first came in the program, my sponsor used to tell me ALL the time, to keep my issues right sized. That is STILL one of the hardest things for me. I was glad to read your list and be reminded of that.....cause I've been doing that lately!
You're still in my prayers, ya know. Your posts have a way of slapping my happy butt back into reality.
Thank you.
There's always going to be issues. That's what life is.
I'm so damn grateful I don't have to drink to try to escape them, because it doesn't work.
Good list!
"Right sized"! Gee! I'm learning new vocab everyday. Thanks Rex.
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