Holidays

[R. Lee]

It is a tough time of the year for alcoholics.

Lat week a guy showed up & said he had 65 days sober, but he was struggling. He was at meeting Friday, Saturday & Monday. Monday he shared that he did not know if he was welcome because he drank on Sunday. We assured him to start over, he was a alcoholic not a failure.

Monday after the meeting he committed suicide.

Al another alcoholic who has been around for many years had moved to Dayton, Ohio. I thought of him often. I had been his sponsor & had to fire myself as he kept going back out drinking. Well he had 4 years sober when he moved to Dayton about a year ago. Saturday I got a phone call saying Al had died after going back out drinking. These two did not have slips. They went back out & drank & died. Their deaths have a purpose. That is they teach me unless I stay diligent I may die too.

Stay diligent folks if you are a alcoholic(& only you can call yourself one)

By the way I am not it a big town. I live in a county of about 10,000 with one traffic light for the county.

[jenm]

Thanks for the reminder, R Lee. I remember a wonderful guy from AA who had a heart of gold. Probably about 10 years ago, he drank again (and it wasn't for long) and we found out that he had committed suicide by gunshot. Dang it. He wasn't but about 30 years old.

A great reminder that, drinking or not, all we have is today. My chances are much much better if I do not pick up the drink. Although I'm not guaranteed my next breath, I am so very grateful that I am sober today and can be a good mom, employee, friend, and sister in Christ. Jenm

[Millie]

Wow, how very sad.

Thanks for sharing, R.Lee. Good reminders indeed.

[lostdog]

Thanks R. Lee, so sad. Bless them, as they helped us to be sober. May they RIP.

[iamtrying]

Thanks for the post Rlee...that is sad...hope they RIP...

It is very important to stay vigilant..can't agree more...the crave demon can strike back from anywhere anytime...thanks for the reminder...

[Tryntryagain]

Good evening dear R Lee. Bright blessings to you.

Yes. The Holidays. The time of the season that is a difficult time for the alcoholic. Alcohol seemingly all around.

It is also the time to be jolly for the sober alcoholic. A time for those still reaching out to be heard. I time when hope and "tomorrows" are within all our grasps. A time.....and tide.... when sobriety can be celebrated as a choice, and the deaths we have all witnessed, turn into life its very self.

It is a time when we live the life the dead alcoholics would have wished for, a time where our dignity succeeds the need for alcohol......a time when we can share the true love that is within us.

As hardy as we may be, always knowing that sledgehammer of foolhardiness hangs over us at any, given time.

Let this be a time of year where we are counted, where we step up to the mark in our conscientiousness, a time where we share strength with each other, not a time of foreboding.

There is room for hope in all our souls. Christmas is the time to embrace that.

Be peaceful, be healthy and be strong. Loveness to you R Lee, loveness to all.

[lostdog]

Yes Tryn, we all matter and it's so very important we know that and embrace it.