Tightrope p359-368

Hi folks,

Here is your reminder for this week's Wednesday night meeting. We will be reading Tightrope p359-368. 

I found it curious that in the opening paragraph the speaker says "As long as a person held down a job, didn't embarrass his family or friends too frequently, and kept out of trouble, he was entitled to get drunk on a regular basis" (p359-AA). Surely many of us held this belief once too at some point or another, I think it was my life's opening paragraph too. I've met many people who are asleep or unconscious to their drinking problem, hiding behind their job, relationship, status, title, education, bank account or what have you in order to justify their behavior.

Some people might call that denial (they wouldn't be wrong), but I remember making these "I can't be an alcoholic because..." statements myself and I don't recall trying to "hide" my behavior so much as I really didn't believe there was anything wrong with it, I couldn't see it. My point of view was me at the center of the universe and everyone else just got in the way. My perspective on life had to be totally defeated, the idea that I might one day regain control of and enjoy my drinking had to be smashed. It took many defeats before I finally got the picture, I was an alcoholic and I needed help.

Just ask MC Escher if having the right perspective doesn't totally change the picture:

Have a great evening,

David t.

2015 Meeting Dates

-->Reading: Being Sober and Becoming Happy
01/28/15 Speaker Meeting <Steve W.>
02/25/15 Speaker Meeting <Gerard P>
03/25/15 Speaker Meeting <Mark D.>
--> Reading: A New Pair of Glasses by Chuck C. 
04/29/15 Speaker Meeting <Russ W.>
05/27/15 Speaker Meeting <Omar P.>
06/24/15 Speaker Meeting <Ricardo A.>

--> Reading: Personal Stories back of Big Book of AA <--

07/29/15 Speaker Meeting <Adam S.>
08/26/15 Speaker Meeting <Kevin M.>
09/30/15 Speaker Meeting <Fred D.>
10/28/15 Speaker Meeting <Owen A.>
11/25/15 Speaker Meeting <Roy M.>
12/30/15 Speaker Meeting <Joe B.>

1/06/16 It might Have Been Worse p348-358
1/13/16 Tightrope p359-368
1/20/16 Flooded with Feeling p369-374
1/27/16 Speaker Meeting

2/03/16 Winner Takes All p375-381
2/10/16 Me an Alcoholic? p382-387
2/17/16 The Perpetual Quest p388-397
2/24/16 Speaker Meeting