When in doubt don’t. I remember my sponsor telling me that a long time ago. I hope I have followed that in time. I know initially I didn’t and paid the price. What he said was, when in doubt don’t. Step back and take a deep breath and stop.
That was among many things he told me, which helped me to begin to change my life and my actions or non actions. That was one of the things being talked about today. Action. Complacency.
I know there have been moments in the past, where I started to slip into complacency. You know that over comfortable feeling, which eventually leads to dropping out of action in this program. But thanks to those people back in the early years in this program, I got the help I needed to get back on the ball and into action again.
I’ve also had the opportunity to see what happens to some of those, who give into the invitation from complacency. An invitation to a drink. Lot of bad things happened, when some thought they were doing so well that they no longer needed this program and the people in it.
And I guess that’s where that statement, when in doubt don’t, comes in. I think there were moments back in the past, when I really had to put that suggestion into action…or non action. I guess it’s a good tool to have around, when tempted to do something stupid. I know early on I was always tempted to do something stupid and very often fell on my face following through on something I should have left alone.
What I have to remember is that this whole program is about staying sober. Staying away from that next drink a day at a time. There are a lot of temptations, which disguise that next drink. It’s up to me to learn to use my head and not my heart. To think things through and take the right action, even if that is to stop and do nothing. I didn’t come here to drink again. I came because I needed and wanted to get sober and stay sober.
It’s one thing to experience joy and happiness and another to sit back on my laurels and do nothing. This is a program of action. The right action. Like going to meetings on a regular basis and being ready to reach my hand out to the new individual, if they have a desire to stop drinking. To be willing to share with someone else what I have been given by my sponsor and those other old timers. And the people around me today. I can always learn from someone, what I need to know. But I have to be there, present for whatever it is. I can’t do that, if I’m laying around or avoiding others from whom I know has the help I need.
I can remember people, who had stopped going to meetings because of their slipping into complacency and feeling they no longer needed the help we get. I remember a few of them trying to get back to meetings and being unable to do that. Bewildering to me. I know that I and others had compassion for them, but could do nothing to change the inevitable. The drink waiting around the corner. I know I don’t want to go there.
Just taking the time to stop and think about what is important to me. Sobriety.