"For those who are unable to drink moderately the question is how to stop altogether. We are assuming, of course, that the reader desires to stop. Whether such a person can quit upon a nonspiritual basis depends upon the extent to which he has already lost the power to choose whether he will drink or not. Many of us felt that we had plenty of character. There was a tremendous urge to cease forever. Yet we found it impossible. This is the baffling feature of alcoholism as we know it - this utter inability to leave it alone, no matter how great the necessity or the wish." Alcoholics Anonymous pg. 34
The grace of God brought to the fellowship in 2001 as a hopeless case. I had made numerous attempts at sobriety without success and had seen all manner of professionals who had given up hope. My family had begun to write me off and I was in failing physical health.
The predominant feeling at this stage of my life was utter hopelessness, the kind of dark feeling one has when they have resigned themselves to the idea that death is inevitable and they must because of some masochistic obligation continue to trudge forward. When one reaches this stage of hopelessness, it become difficult to muster any sort of confidence that there exists a way out, no effort seems worth it as all avenues have been tried and have led to eventual failure.
Now the dictionary defines hope as: noun -a person or thing in which expectations are centered.
I define hope as this: Hope is the product of our collective experience.
This means that as a fellowship there exists a collective whole, we as members have once individually been hopeless and were brought together through an act of love and given hope by those who have gone before us. As we become a small part of a greater whole the collective experience we have creates an even greater hope for the new person. We are in fact a living message.
Having been convinced in short order that you had been where I was and had traversed the pit of despair, I was left with no choice but to join ranks with my fellows and follow your simple directions, soon after the pain and fog began to lift and the sun shone through. There was now hope where I had once been hopeless...
The grace of God brought to the fellowship in 2001 as a hopeless case. I had made numerous attempts at sobriety without success and had seen all manner of professionals who had given up hope. My family had begun to write me off and I was in failing physical health.
The predominant feeling at this stage of my life was utter hopelessness, the kind of dark feeling one has when they have resigned themselves to the idea that death is inevitable and they must because of some masochistic obligation continue to trudge forward. When one reaches this stage of hopelessness, it become difficult to muster any sort of confidence that there exists a way out, no effort seems worth it as all avenues have been tried and have led to eventual failure.
Now the dictionary defines hope as: noun -a person or thing in which expectations are centered.
I define hope as this: Hope is the product of our collective experience.
This means that as a fellowship there exists a collective whole, we as members have once individually been hopeless and were brought together through an act of love and given hope by those who have gone before us. As we become a small part of a greater whole the collective experience we have creates an even greater hope for the new person. We are in fact a living message.
Having been convinced in short order that you had been where I was and had traversed the pit of despair, I was left with no choice but to join ranks with my fellows and follow your simple directions, soon after the pain and fog began to lift and the sun shone through. There was now hope where I had once been hopeless...
Hope is a priceless commodity!
ReplyDeletegreat blog, I also write on this subject, you can view my posts on substance use disorder at blog.rockstarsuperstarproject.com
ReplyDeleteagain, great post!