In a letter to his son, a famous author told him that he was often going to fail and fall. He said to him that he didn’t have to go looking for trouble, that life was going to give him enough. But he also said that though he fell a thousand times ten thousand times, he was always to ask God for the same amount of forgiveness.
Never give up. Perseverance is the hallmark of the sober alcoholic. I learned that from my sponsor. He picked me up and prodded me on. Dusted me off and kept encouraging me, when I was most discouraged. When I wanted to lay down and quit. That’s when he pointed out to me what that would mean.
Another drink. As much as I wanted to quit from going on, that was enough to get me back on my feet.
There are always temptations to discouragement, I have found along the way.
But the good has always outweighed the bad, if I will learn to change my mind and my attitude or outlook on life. The steps have taught me that. Reading the BB has taught me that. My sponsor taught me that. Grace has taught me that.
Whenever I’m tempted to drift off into darkness, I try to recall the words of the woman, who wrote “Freedom From Bondage”. “I get everything I need in Alcoholics Anonymous–and everything I need I get. And when I get what I need, I invariably find that it is just what I wanted all the time.” She’s right.
I was thinking about this today.