We’re in the middle of a heavy snow storm up here. It’s cold and windy and there are white outs all over. I know, because we went to a meeting today. Driving was awful. Couldn’t see the road at times and the wipers kept icing up. Snow was at least ankle deep and sometimes more.
Now why would anyone go out in the freezing cold and a mess like this? Simple. To stay sober one more day.
I remember years ago in an ice storm down in Maryland. It was New Year’s Eve and our group was having a party down at a place called The Old Mill, down by a stream, as the song said. Anyway, as it drew near to 8 pm, my sponsor got about five of us together and said that we were going to drive to the church where we held our meetings. He said it was meeting night and we needed to open up. None of us could figure out why on an awful night like this one, where everyone driving was slipping and sliding all over the road, but we went. We got the church open and a man walked in and said, “Thank God you’re open. I was just on my way to get a drink and I thought I’d take a chance that you were here.”
I can remember way back when I was drinking and living up here in upstate NY and going out into a blizzard with pneumonia and walking miles to a bar to get a drink. I would go to any lengths to get a drink. Now, I’ve learned to go to any lengths to stay sober.
At the meeting today there was a decent crowd of others, who were there for the same reason. In spite of a blinding snow storm they were there to stay sober. A recent newcomer was there and he was reminded of the evidence of those sitting there that it was possible to get sober and stay sober. So was I.
Anyway, I couldn’t help but think of these things as I sit here. We got there and got back by the grace of a Higher Power, who keeps all of us sober.