Bob taught me that when someone reaches out for help, it doesn’t matter what you’re doing or how you’re feeling… You just go!
Tag: sponsorship
Is Recovery Possible Without Abstinence?
If I told an AA meeting I was having wine once in a while, the group would tell me that I am headed for certain demise.
Are the 12 Steps Safe for Trauma Survivors?
When the 4th and 5th steps are done without support for the symptoms of PTSD, they have the potential to retraumatize.
4 Important Reasons to "Keep Coming Back" to AA, Even When We Don't Need To
Don’t underestimate just how powerful your presence at a 12-step meeting can be for another person’s recovery. More than I care to admit, my usual 12-step meeting times will pop up on my calendar and I’ll think to myself, “Can I get away with skipping this one?” A lot of folks in the rooms will… Continue reading 4 Important Reasons to "Keep Coming Back" to AA, Even When We Don't Need To
You Can't Keep It Unless You Give It Away
The responsibility to give honestly is my job; the responsibility to take honestly is theirs and not for me to determine. I could go crazy trying to decide which homeless person is worthy and which is not. It’s one of the odd truths about life in New York City that some days a homeless person… Continue reading You Can't Keep It Unless You Give It Away
When the Obsession Isn’t Lifted
Before, when someone with 20 years would say “it’s still a day at a time,” I couldn’t really hear them. I do now. I was a typical low-bottom case. I was drunk most days, and a car wreck, an arrest, and a liver enzyme problem couldn’t pry me from my favorite thing to do. What… Continue reading When the Obsession Isn’t Lifted
Is There Life After AA?
I was fed up with the fear-based conditioning of being told that if I left, I wouldn’t stay sober, and I was tired of the constant message that my future was up to some mystic higher power. When I walked into my first AA meeting, I felt like I was broken into a million pieces.… Continue reading Is There Life After AA?
Dating While (Newly) Sober
When my sponsor told me about the suggestion to not date for a year, that I should just concentrate on getting sober, I said: “I’m a really good multi-tasker.” I thought that when I got sober, I’d get into the best shape of my life, start going to the gym all the time, train for… Continue reading Dating While (Newly) Sober
How Sponsoring Fellow Alcoholics Is Teaching Me How To Parent My Son
How do I, an alcoholic with a dysfunctional childhood who didn’t even begin maturing until his early 30s, go about the daunting duty of raising a son to manhood? Recovery through Alcoholics Anonymous has helped me build an incredible life. A restored marriage, a promising career, and a comfortable suburban home highlight the tangibles; the… Continue reading How Sponsoring Fellow Alcoholics Is Teaching Me How To Parent My Son
The Blessings of Going Back
“Pulling a geographic? Come to Jackson Hole! Great public transportation, decent jobs, and a beautiful environment to be miserable in.” It can be a scary thing to go back to the place you hit your “bottom.” It can also be extremely rewarding with unexpected miracles and blessings. I hit my bottom in Jackson Hole, Wyoming… Continue reading The Blessings of Going Back
