When an Anniversary is a Birthday
Today is the first day of the rest of your life.
That sentence sums up my day 15 years ago, April 2, 1993. It was my first day of sobriety after years of alcohol abuse. I didn't know at the time that I would not drink again. Actually, when I realized, after attending meetings for a week, that the rest of the folks at the meetings didn't drink AT ALL, I was pretty alarmed and aggravated.
I asked someone at a meeting, "you mean to tell me that I can't ever drink AGAIN?". God bless him...his answer was, "just don't drink today, and go to a meeting, and then don't drink between meetings".
Well, I have done just that. I have not drank, even when I wanted to. I have gone through my first marriage falling apart, my mother dying of cancer, a falling out with my family, a move to another city, a new relationship, a severe back injury, cervical cancer, a career change, another career change and life.
I did not pick up a bottle during all of that. I prayed a lot, I talked to my friends and my brother, Chris, I journaled, I cried, I took walks and baths, and drank lots of big glasses of cold water! One of my friends in that first year advised me, "when you really crave a beer, drink one or two glasses of ice water and it will really take away that craving because chance are you are just thirsty!" She was right!, I still do all of these things and now I also talk to my husband, Jeff. He has never known seen me drunk and I pray he never does. I am sober.
I am blessed and know it. I am grateful to my husband, my family, my friends, my animals, the incredible community in which I live, my beautiful home, my work, the clubs/volunteer groups to which I belong, the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous and the freedom to practice my own spiritual beliefs. I am alive and am happy. I never dreamed life could be this good.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Today is my 15th A.A birthday and it feels like the first day of the rest of my life.
That sentence sums up my day 15 years ago, April 2, 1993. It was my first day of sobriety after years of alcohol abuse. I didn't know at the time that I would not drink again. Actually, when I realized, after attending meetings for a week, that the rest of the folks at the meetings didn't drink AT ALL, I was pretty alarmed and aggravated.
I asked someone at a meeting, "you mean to tell me that I can't ever drink AGAIN?". God bless him...his answer was, "just don't drink today, and go to a meeting, and then don't drink between meetings".
Well, I have done just that. I have not drank, even when I wanted to. I have gone through my first marriage falling apart, my mother dying of cancer, a falling out with my family, a move to another city, a new relationship, a severe back injury, cervical cancer, a career change, another career change and life.
I did not pick up a bottle during all of that. I prayed a lot, I talked to my friends and my brother, Chris, I journaled, I cried, I took walks and baths, and drank lots of big glasses of cold water! One of my friends in that first year advised me, "when you really crave a beer, drink one or two glasses of ice water and it will really take away that craving because chance are you are just thirsty!" She was right!, I still do all of these things and now I also talk to my husband, Jeff. He has never known seen me drunk and I pray he never does. I am sober.
I am blessed and know it. I am grateful to my husband, my family, my friends, my animals, the incredible community in which I live, my beautiful home, my work, the clubs/volunteer groups to which I belong, the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous and the freedom to practice my own spiritual beliefs. I am alive and am happy. I never dreamed life could be this good.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Today is my 15th A.A birthday and it feels like the first day of the rest of my life.
Labels: AA, Alcoholics Anonymous, cravings, Sobriety
posted by Chicken Mama at 12:53 AM
8 Comments:
Happy AA Birthday, Susan! I have a big smile of my face and I heartily congratulate you! What an incredible journey you have had. Do not underestimate the internal strength that you have to be able to manage this disease. I am the daughter of an alcoholic and have watched it almost destroy her and our family for almost 25 years. There have been times when we have celebrated month-long, sometimes even week-long, birthdays. The biggest (and probably most simple, looking back) things that I've learned is that 1) I can't do it for her and 2) if she falls, she has to dust herself off and get right back up.
Sometimes she does this, sometimes she doesn't. When she doesn't, I have to use all my own internal strength, and wisdom gained over the years, to not let it destroy me and all that 'daughter-of-an-alcoholic' strength that I've tried to build.
I admire you very much.
Good job.
Congratulations!
You are such a force of nature.
You ar powerful, dynamic and just plain fun.
May your journey be a good one, filled with joy, passion, reality and the strength of character it takes to accomplish another 40± years of your gift of sobriety.
Congratulations chickie.
What a wonderful milestone.
You go, girl!!!! You are completely and totally amazing. Congratulations to you! Mwah!!!
Congratulations! I am so proud for you! Life can hit you hard sometimes.
A good husband, family, and those wonderful animals do make the world of difference.
I admire your strength.
Happy Anniversary and Birthday!
Go, girl!
Sara
www.sararoahen.com
Congrats!
As I read your opening line, I thought thats sounds like recovery talk. And low and behold it is!
Good for you. I know its hard I'm in the same boat, but it is worth it. Lisa
Happy Birthday......
Happy Anniversary....
and most of all....
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
Post a Comment
<< Home