Today I had to stop again and think about how someone like me can stay sober a day at a time. I guess the first thought is that all I have to do is a day at a time and not the rest of my life. Not that I ever want to drink again, but staying in the now is a lot easier than doing it by a year or years.
After all, I definitely learned what I had failed to learn ever before. And that is that time takes time. Getting sober and staying sober is not an overnight event. It does take a lot of time to learn how to grow along spiritual lines, to put these Twelve Steps into action, and to change from the mess I dragged into these rooms into a better person. A sober alcoholic. A sane individual and not an insane, egocentric, infantile person, who was never really in control, but always out of control.
Over time in here I began to learn what I really never knew. I never knew that I didn’t know. I only thought I did. If he was still here, you could have asked my sponsor. He knew about me from the very start. He’s the one, who got me to finally stop and listen and begin to learn what I needed. He also helped me turn myself and my life around by introducing me to this spiritual way of life by opening the Second Step for me. It was from his urging I found a Higher Power.
He helped me to begin to change. And it worked.
He was not alone. I met all these old timers in here and they not only taught me what I needed, but continually gave me examples of how this program really works. They never hesitated, along with my sponsor, to cut my ego down to a right size. I still admire them for their efforts and the courage it took to do this. And I am so grateful to all who have helped me through the time in here.
Like I said, I had to stop and think about all of this today. To remind myself of what it was that brought me to this point in my life. Today, the only day I have. Not yesterday or tomorrow, but this moment. I am where my feet are. I know I’m here to stay sober a day at a time.
And I am grateful. I owe thanks to my Higher Power and all those, who have helped me to stay sober. Thanks.