Today was “chip day” at the group I attend. That, of course, brought up in my mind and in the group the topic of staying sober.
I was thinking that how often I think of this. Pretty often. I told the group the truth that I often go back to that last day drinking and my early days in the program. It reminds me of how I never ever want to drink again. I never want to forget what alcohol did to me. What it did to my life.
What that makes me think about is what is it I need to do to stay sober. And of course the first thing is working this program on a daily basis, as I learned from my sponsor and those old timers I knew back then. Of course there is the directions I got early on that I needed to learn to live a spiritual way of life. To pick up that hope I was given early on and then come to believe in a Power greater than myself. To grow in faith and trust in my Higher Power. To learn to pray and meditate each and everyday.
Of course I needed to learn how to persevere, never to quit, no matter what the circumstances were. I was taught to hang in an keep on keeping on. Didn’t matter what the day brought. Just do it. I never forgot that lesson. Makes me grateful for the sponsor I was given, who not only gave me the directions I needed, but also gave me the example. Just as those old timers did also. Like so many of them, I’ve had to go through some pretty tough times. I did and learned from those experiences.
And there is also the lessons I was taught to always be prepared to give this program away to the next alcoholic. The funny thing was, as I told the group, I had a dream last night that I was out on a Twelfth Step call. Made me laugh, when I thought about it. And that’s exactly what I did after the meeting. Went up to one of our newest members and talked to him and he shared with me. Nice.
Anyway, just thinking about sobriety and living and practicing a sober way of living. Not only benefiting, but passing it along. Just being grateful for all that I have been given.