White Knuckling
I was white knuckling the last few years of my drinking, refusing to accept that alcohol was not my friend. I cut down the amount I consumed. But the amount I consumed set my brain crazy with thoughts about how
A Thank You Note
A Note Here’s a thank-you note to a British mystery — Every once in awhile art accurately reflects the hell addiction is. Watching a character in new series Karen Pirie spiral through decades of drinking and drugging, I connected with
Deliverance
Remember My Deliverance The meditation for today urged “never grow numb to your dynamic salvation.” (Psalm 103:2) Don’t take for granted that deliverance, the writer seemed to say to me, from where I was, to where I am; nor fear
Celebrating Forty-One Years . . .
Celebrating Celebrating forty-one years with friends at a meeting today — after a two -year hiatus — was just about super. What to say about living forty-one years sober? A close relative gave me a segue. When I told her
Asking Better Questions
In my white-knuckling phase, I kept asking, Am I an alcoholic? I couldn’t be; I just wasn’t that bad — not like other problem drinkers I knew! Reading in Step by Step: Real AAs, Real Recovery, I gleaned a bit
Recovery Programs Other than Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is just one way to quit drinking. It’s not foolproof. AA depends on what we do. Or, what we don’t do. I bet other plans do, too. I also bet, no program or plan can do for us
Yep: I Remember Those Days
I remember the days I went without drinking. They were their own horror. Usually I was trying to prove I could. And I could! I remember twice I went 40 days without drinking. I also remember some helpful people told
Drinking Dreams of Slippery Places and Better Choices
I don’t have drinking dreams as often as I once did. But when I do, they remind me of slippery places I can avoid. Last night I had one. In my dream, I had a big gulp of chilled white wine
An AA Anniversary — Who’s Counting?
I am coming up on an anniversary of the day was I finally ready to stop drinking. It’s been a while since that day – but not so long I can’t remember how I felt when I went to my