Getting sober and staying sober were primarily the subject of the meeting today. The person, who brought this up was trying to express what might be a problem of staying sober. But the group really spent a lot of time on Steps One and Two.
What always comes to my mind was the surrender I went through with my Higher Power. It was based on the total depression I was going through, which alcohol had over me. I could not stop drinking no matter what. So, I thought the solution was to commit suicide. That’s when an alcoholic friend of mine found out about AA and helped me to get the hope I needed.
That hope led me to praying and surrendering to my Higher Power. And that led to freedom from alcohol at last. I could never really forget that. It changed my life. And that led to my second sponsor, a long time member, who told me that I didn’t know that I didn’t know. I only thought I did. And he was right. I knew that at the moment he said it.
He knew that I had surrendered to the First Step and he showed me Step Two. And that opened the door to a spiritual life and it also invited me into a relationship with the Power Greater than myself. And that gave me what I needed to put this program into action.
I was shown how I needed to stay sober one day at a time. I found that I needed to always stay in today and not to go any further. I had to never project into the future nor dwell on my negative emotions, which governed my life drinking and had followed me into this program.
The Serenity Prayer was definitely an introduction in the Second Step. I learned how I could never really change any one person. I could only change myself, and I had to pray and depend for help from my Higher Power. I needed to work these Steps in here and to continue to try to grow along spiritual lines. To also freely give what I was freely given, hoping to help someone, who wanted to get sober like I did.
Anyway, I had to stop and think about this. Doing so always helps me to continue to focus on staying sober. And then peace and happiness, along with faith, hope, and love helps me. And I know that I am not a saint, but a human alcoholic, who stumbles from time to time, but hopefully asks for the help I need from my Higher Power and those who are willing to help me. I am grateful.