I don’t know what I would do without friends in here, who keep reminding me of things I need to know. One of them came in an email to myself and another friend. It was right there in the Tenth Step in the 12&12. The acid test.
It was a question for all of us. Can we stay sober, keep in emotional balance, and live to good purpose under all conditions? Good question to say the least.
Sobriety to me is more than just not drinking. It’s a way of life I have learned in here. Basically, as I have found out, it’s a spiritual way of life. Something I grew into over time. Time takes time, as they have told us. And that’s true I know from my own experience. But it’s been worth it. The “good” times and the “bad”. Not always easy, but do-able.
And it was my sponsor and those old timers, who began to put me on track for emotional balance. And that was not an “overnight” event. Took a long long time to begin to grow up. I had to learn and then practice putting the intellect over the emotions. I learned from experience and studies that for the most part the emotional life is not real. Sounds odd, since it seems to be part of our existence. However I have learned that it’s centered around our egos and that is what we have had to learn to deal with. As Dr. Harry Tiebout showed us that we needed ego deflation in depth. Not an easy journey for this self centered alcoholic. Selfish to the core. Never knew what it was to grow up and become a responsible adult.
Talk about the spiritual way of life. The healing process for our emotional turmoils. And also for that third part of the question above. Living to good purpose under all conditions. That’s where I had to learn to practice these principles, the spiritual principles, in all of my affairs. The Twelve Steps and everything I have learned in here. Basically, for me, the Tenth, Eleventh, and Twelfth Steps. Trying to put them into practice each and every day.
That’s a good explanation for me of why I had to learn that I could not stay sober by myself. I definitely need to go to meetings and continue to learn and practice this program. I need the help of others like myself to continue to guide me along this path. I still suffer from the human condition. I need all the help I can get. I need the reminders of what is necessary to continue to put this program into practice. Again the spiritual life. My dependency on my Higher Power.
Anyway I’m grateful for the help I get in this program from the God of my understanding and all those around me.