He Lived Only to Drink p446-451

Good afternoon everyone! 

I am getting an early start on the e-mail today so you know what that means... it's a slow Monday!! First, I wanted to thank our speaker from last week Alex G. for his excellent share. Alex gave an awesome share all while getting through jetlag and a traveler's cold -- that's going to any length baby!! This week we'll be diving into He Lived Only to Drink p446-451. I can already relate with just the title!!

One thing I like about this last group of stories (Part III: They Lost Nearly All) is that even though these guys went about as low as you can go and although it can be hard to relate, not having experienced skid row or the likes myself, their complete psychic change (ie: spiritual awakening) is so excessively clear that it gives me a strong sense of hope for my own life. When you're sleeping under a cardboard box over a hot air vent to keep from freezing one day and are on the AA general services board the next, there's little doubt these individuals have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of body and mind. 

But what about those of us for whom the changes aren't as day-and-night; we've lost the obsession to drink but we still have good days and bad days... we still feel the disease alive and well. Guess What?? You're right!! Once born the disease will live as long as you do. The book says as much "We are not cured of alcoholism." (bb pg85). However, what we have been given in this program are the tools to cope with the disease and to live a full, happy, joyous and free life and to co-exist with the disease in peace. As it says in the foreword of the Big Book "WE, OF Alcoholics Anonymous, are more than one hundred men and women who have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. To show other alcoholics precisely how we have recovered is the main purpose of this book." 

How you go about consolidating that fact - that we are "recovered" and yet "not cured" - is up to you. For some, that seeming contradiction is too much and so they set one aside in favor of the other. To me it is a constant reminder that today is only as good as I make it, I am as "recovered" as I'm ever gonna get, and if not now, when - When will I be happy, joyous and free? How about today? 

Have a wonderful day,

David t.

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