What is it I need to hear, in order to continue on this path? We go to meetings, we talk to others, we stop in our day, at some point, and do we get what we need?
A young woman was coming back today and people were talking to her, trying to tell her how to stay sober. There were all kinds of responses to her. There she sat, trembling and hurting. Did she hear what she needed, in order not to drink again?
I know what I need to hear. I need to hear someone say, “Wake up!”
I was talking to a man yesterday, who had over ten years, but now has sixteen days back in sobriety. He told me his story how he picked up a drink again. He said he had been resting on his laurels and just drifted back into a drink. He said that over a period of time he had gotten careless with his attention on his spiritual life. Next he started to go to meetings less and less.
He said he developed a number of resentments. All of this on a casual basis.
Then someone offered him a drink. The next thing he knew was that he was back in a hospital for an extended period of time. But not without losing two cars and finding himself sleeping by the side of the road.
We talked about falling “asleep”. He had lost his focus and his primary purpose. He needed someone to tell him to wake up.
I was talking to another man today, who was worried about a business deal. He told me that he could hardly hear a thing in the meeting today. His mind was on his problem. We talked about how these “problems” we have can so occupy our minds that sobriety takes a back seat. Someone needs to tell us to wake up.
Anyway, I was thinking about this today. How easy it is to “fall asleep”. How easy it is to get so distracted and lose our emotional balance. I need to pay attention to what I’m doing and keep my focus on today.