Mine has been great! It was not easy to get through though.
I was invited to a friend’s wedding. It was a beautiful ceremony but I couldn’t wait to leave. I just wanted to dodge the reception; there will be alcohol and I didn’t want to have to go through ‘that’ anymore.
I have struggled to get sober over ten years. I was finally able to achieve total abstinence two years ago. I have also made progress in my relationship with my family, I am more focused at work now and have started dating too. Yes, a lot of progress indeed. I do not want to mess it all up. I do not want to disappoint myself as well as all the people in my life.
The ceremony had finally ended, pictures had been taken. Just as I was making my way out of the church, she saw me; an old friend I had attended high school with. It was great to see her, she looked great. ‘Come with me to the reception’, she said, it’s been such a long time. Let’s catch up’. Before I could say a word, she pulled me along into the crowd, straight into the wine and all the alcohol you could think of.
All of a sudden, I couldn’t breathe, I started having flashbacks of ‘those days’, ‘the bad old days’ when I used to drink without a care in the world. Then she offered me a drink. Spontaneously, without thinking, I took the drink. Just as I was about to drink it, I remembered what my counselor said,
‘before you take another drink, think about the harm that could come out of that momentary satisfaction of a craving, which can never be satisfied with a thousand more of that first drink. Think about all the hard work you have put in so far…..’
With an enormous amount of courage, I handed back the drink to her and said, ‘I am AA, two years sober and I got to go now’. I walked out of there with my head held up high. I focused on the joy of the victory of what I had overcome and not on the guilt of what I could have done. I would not forget it though, I’ll always remember this day, as a great learning experience.
So smile and focus on the little victories of the day because always remember, ‘it could have been worse…….’
By Anonymous
Recovery Aid 