…the fatal nature of our disease.
It is amazing to sit in a meeting and hear one more person coming back, who apparently hasn’t heard that message. The fatal nature of our disease. It kills. Sometimes quickly and sometimes slowly.
I rode with a man, whose nephew, a young man, who died the day before of liver failure. All because he drank himself into that state. Did he want to? I doubt it. He couldn’t help himself. He was an alcoholic. He had to drink and apparently couldn’t hear the message. His ears were too drunk.
Sounds cold and harsh. This isn’t a judgement of that man or the man coming back. But it is a reminder to me that this disease is still spreading and going on. I have to remember that at anytime I may hit that wall which will prevent me from having that mental defense against that first drink. It happened to those two men. There is always that possibility.
The BB tells me that and I know it for a fact
from my own experience.
I have another friend, who didn’t pick up that drink, but is in a perilous state in the hospital. He is a man, who though he struggles with spirituality, is truly a spiritual person. I know his history. Yesterday he was rushed to the hospital with
a life threatening illness. The prognosis is good in the sense that they can do something for him to alleviate his condition. I can’t help but think that the reason he was able to get to the hospital on time is his relationship with his higher power. I know what was going on and how he was intervened upon to get there, because I was intimately related to the situation. I can’t help but think that it was because he was sober that he was able to get the help he needed.
Anything can happen to anyone of us at any time. But, if I remember that thing about that first drink and stay in touch with the program and my higher power, I know I can prevent myself from dying from this disease. I just have to remember this truth and keep on keeping on. To be involved with the process of what keeps me sober.
Anyway, I was thinking about these three men today. Those of us, who have experienced the joy of living, which comes from the practice of this program, can say with gratitude that we’re glad we were able to put the drink down and go through this life changing process. I wish that the first two men could have experienced what we have. Maybe the second man will find his way into this process. We can always hope.
This is what I was thinking this morning.
Ahhh…imagining that irresistible “new car” smell?