The Name Of The Game
Funny (to me) because I learned something which contradicts a portion of this statement;
“God willing, we may never again have to deal with drinking, but we have to deal with sobriety every day.”
No, the statement isn’t wrong - the contradiction is - I learned that God doesn’t will anything negative towards my life therefore making a remark like this (as many of us do often… “God willing and the crick don’t rise” lol) almost makes it sound like there is some condition attached. Oh well…
From “AA Taught Him To Handle Sobriety”
When Bob had been in A.A. only a short time, an oldtimer told him that A.A. does not teach us how to handle our drinking, but it teaches us how to handle sobriety.
Not only did his health recover, so did his marriage, his relationship with his children, his performance on his job.
All these things A.A. gave him, but most of all it taught him how to handle sobriety, how to relate to people, how to deal with disappointments and problems. He learned that “the name of the game is not so much to stop drinking as to stay sober.”
“God willing, we members of Alcoholics Anonymous may never again have to deal with drinking, but we have to deal with sobriety every day. How do we do it? By learning — through practicing the Twelve Steps and through sharing at meetings — how to cope with the problems that we looked to booze to solve, back in our drinking days.”
Tags: alcoholics-anonymous, gratitude, Recovery, sobrietyRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Did You Know, Experience, Strength and Hope, Personal
4 opinions for The Name Of The Game
Zakman
Jul 1, 2007 at 10:29 am
Hi Mark
I wouldn’t have found ADozenSteps but for Liz’s tip.
Have you been there Mark? I lived through it for nearly 25 years and sober now barely less than 10 months with AA.
But then lately I find that I’m once again looking for loopholes in the system that will allow me to drink without feeling guilty. The sinister part of this is that I know it’s my alcoholism talking to me, and I feel so powerless.
But I’m “hangin’ in there” so far… though so scared my mind will ultimately find a way to drink again. If you’ve been there, you’d know it is.
I literally shut out the world for days/weeks and keep drinking day in and night out.
I really don’t want that again.
Perhaps according to this post, I could be learning how to live with sobriety. That’s a tough ball game, too!
laters, Mark.
Mark
Jul 1, 2007 at 11:26 am
Well… welcome!
Sorry, but I almost have to laugh about “Have I been there?” OOOOOH YES!!!
I have one thought and suggestion based on these words of yours - “I know it’s my alcoholism talking to me, and I feel so powerless.”
First word, first step - “WE.” Zakman, if you truly have admitted to your innermost self that you are an alcoholic, which is why you’ve “stayed sober” these last ten months, then the suggestion is CALL YOUR SPONSOR! Let that person know what your mind is telling you, then be quiet and wait for the answer.
You see, left to my own devices - I’ll drink again. With your help and the help from God and AA, we can stop that from happening.
Do you believe in coincidences? I don’t any longer, funny that we met at Liz’s place :)
Zakman
Jul 1, 2007 at 12:21 pm
Hi Mark
Thank you for your quick reply!
How can I say that again, and in how many different ways: “You see, left to my own devices - I’ll drink again.”
I can see that: My default reaction to anything is drinking.
You suggested calling my sponsor. The fact is, at the moment, I don’t have one. I didn’t have (or didn’t want to take one) for a long time in AA. I struggled with AA for nearly two years before my first 90 days.
My second sponsor quit about 3 months ago because he’s always travelling and never available. He suggested other AA members, but I haven’t taken any. I feel a little intimidated…. I think. Or I’m secretely avoiding areas that will stop me drop drinking…. or maybe I never wanted to give up drinking in the first place.
But I fell in love with sobriety last year, waking up feeling wonderful about nothing in particular, being able to brush my teeth, being able to find a clean pair of socks…. more… something I want to live with forver… and it’s free, too :)
But lately (last 3 or 4 weeks) I can feel the peculiar excuses creeping in….. very subtly. The first indication was that I started writing to people, hoping to find some justification somewhere that will let me drink.
Isn’t it so weird that I’m doing something totally against my conscious will and which I know could be disastrous?
Thanks for being there Mark, don’t worry about me. I’ll talk to you again soon.
PS: I’ll be alright, I’m only talking about my fears. But it’s all so complex.
Mark
Jul 1, 2007 at 1:49 pm
Oh - I think this about says it all: “hoping to find some justification somewhere that will let me drink.”
Unless you take a look at this : “I think.”
Of course, thinking it’s weird? “Isn’t it so weird that I’m doing something totally against my conscious will and which I know could be disastrous?”
Not really, if you read our literature.
Zakman, you are NOT UNIQUE!!! NO - it is no more complex than boiling water! And we even screw that up…
YES! It is a disease. I am qualified to say I have it, not qualified to say you have it but, from what I “hear,” if I’m not mistaken, it sure sounds like you have it and, if you do, it has the capability to kill you as dead as anyone else unless…
Please - find a sponsor! Like… tonight!
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