Funny, the thoughts running through my head right now. Today at the meeting there was an announcement that a friend of ours, an old timer with over 40 years sober, had passed away the day before. My first reaction, when I heard that, was an expletive that came out of my mouth involuntarily. The person next to me patted me on the shoulder and said, “He died, but he was sober when he died.”
Wow! Why didn’t I think of that? I was only thinking I had lost a friend. But the truth was right there; he died sober. Isn’t that something I want for myself? To live a sober life, enjoying all the benefits of this way of life, and to die sober. Never, ever, having to pick up a drink of alcohol and ending my life as a drunk, as I almost did just before I came into the program.
He was a quiet man. He had lived a full life in AA. Never calling attention to himself. Just another alcoholic among others like himself. I admired him and his humility. We all knew his story of his struggles with alcohol and how it finally beat him down until he surrendered to his powerlessness over it and got sober.
Like all of us, he had his problems and his struggles, but he never relinquished his sobriety and reverted back to a drink, even when he lost his most precious relationship. As devastating a blow as that was for him, he never wavered in his resolve. He stayed faithful to this way of life and continued to practice these spiritual principles in all of his affairs.
Though he had fought in World War II and came home a victor, his greatest fight and his greatest victory was over alcohol. And just maybe the fact that he died sober was the greatest victory of all.
I believe he was an example of what the spiritual life was all about. He never spoke of this, except you would pick up on it, when he talked about the Steps.
I couldn’t help but think about all those old timers I knew, who were friends of mine, and passed on still sober. All fond memories in my mind. Great examples of what this life can accomplish for an alcoholic like myself. I am grateful for having known them all and how they enriched my life.
To me these thoughts are not a downer. In fact they make my life and thoughts more upbeat than anyone can possibly imagine. I’m happy for him and all the others, because they won.