Promises Group

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Tuesday,

5:00 PM

Spring Hill,

Florida

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Went to a meeting

and a bunch of drunks talked about

the fourth of the 9th step promises

found on pages 84 and 85 of the

Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous.

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"We will comprehend the word serenity

and we will know peace."

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Sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly,

the group shared about when they first felt serene,

when they learned to quiet the noisy mind

and they found peace.

After doing the steps, mostly the fourth and fifth,

when the wreckage of the past was identified,

many first discovered peace and serenity.

For some it was following the ninth step,

when the amends were made,

when the guilt and shame were relieved

following the admission of errors

made while under the influence.

Many long timers noted that they

continue to come to meetings

because this is where they recharge their batteries,

where they connect with their program

and subsequently regain that feeling

of serenity and peace,

especially when life is throwing

lemons and bricks at them.

Love a good meeting, thanks to Bobby W. for chairing.

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ME

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No Ego's

. A whole month ? ? ?

Went to a bunch of meetings,

just forgot to post.

Friday, 4-3-15,

Step in the Right Direction,

men's meeting.

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Brian has not yet had his drivers license reinstated

so it has been my pleasure to take him to some meetings.

The meeting topic was the Eleventh Step.

Following Friday's meeting he posed some typical questions;

what made this meeting so special ? ? ?

is it weird that I can feel the serenity in the room ? ? ?

why did I not hear any drunk-a-logs ? ? ?

There is no such thing as a bad meeting, it is just that

some meetings are better than others,

why is this a better meeting ? ? ?

The answers :

The men at this meeting are very serious about their recovery

and the smiles, the closed eyes, the nodding heads all add to

the sense of serenity which can almost be felt.

There are no egos.

The topic is the only thing discussed and living in today,

not drinking today and doing the next right thing

are the focus of everyone's message.

Today, wishing you a better meeting.

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ME and the Boss

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Recovery...as this drunk sees it #1

"The cost of living has gone up another dollar 

a quart." 
~ W. C. Fields

The first word that needs to be understood 

before anyone  can even begin to deal with 

an addict/alcoholic is:

Denial....

D - don't 
E - even 
N -no (know)
I - I 
A - am 
L - lying

How can you tell when an alcoholic is lying?? 
- His lips are moving.

   Most people are good, moral, upstanding individuals who know the difference between right and wrong. Under the influence, alcoholics forget everything that has to do with making the right choice and they go into a survival mode. If it takes lying, cheating and stealing to get more of the substance that their bodies crave, they will do what they must to get it. The denial system of survival set up by the sick and suffering may and usually involves and affects everyone around them.
   Those who allow (or refuse to admit) the alcoholics immoral behaviors become the enablers of the addict/alcoholic. Enablers, (husband, wives, parents, bosses, friends? employers, significant others) 
are in themselves very sick and need education or treatment just as badly as the alcoholic.

   Rehabilitation means to return an individual back to a sane and normal moral existence.

   During the rehabilitation process education means to discover those behaviors that are destructive to the alcoholic and those around him, and compare them to the behaviors that are acceptable. 
Treatment is the series of exercises and activities suggested to change the identified negative behaviors into acceptable ones.
   After the in-patient treatment, most good rehab facilities will have a new lifestyle plan for the client to put into place upon their release from the facility. This next phase of recovery is a topic for future posts.
   One drink for the alcoholic who is trying to rehabilitate themselves means a total destruction of any progress that may have been made towards the return to a normalized behavior pattern. Often, a relapse by an addict/alcoholic, may add insult to injury. The affected has, by relapsing, added additional guilt and shame to their already diminished egos.Treatment for the relapsed addict/alcoholic (a client who has completed at least one prior stay at a 28 day facility) is a totally different and specific entity in the rehab/treatment field. Some of the more prominent rehabilitation centers in the United States have separate satellite locations or separate on campus facilities specifically assigned to relapse clients.

   Rehab, education, and treatment are to no avail if the affected do not cooperate.

   You can tell a drunk, but you can't tell him much.

   Although this article is addressed to the Addict/Alcoholic, most of the attitudes and behaviors described can be attributed to those who suffer from addictive personalities. It is not what substance one uses, but how they abuse the substance. Gambling, food, sex, workaholic, or any other obsessive compulsive behavior that cause an individual to neglect normal responsibilities or make improper moral judgements, are included in the treatable realm of addictive disorders. 
   Many rehabilitation centers are exclusive to one type of addiction or to a select few addictions that they deem to be equally well treated by their program. 
   Be aware that some of the addictions may be better treated in a clinic situation . Sex and Love addicts and the dual diagnosed usually do better when they are in controlled therapy sessions (Self-help programs) in addition to their twelve step program work. Many self help meetings are not advertised the way AA meetings are publicly scheduled and may need to be sought out by seeking professional guidance. This secrecy is not to hide from public scrutiny to avoid the social stigma, it is done to keep sexual predators and untreated deviates from stalking the vulnerable individuals who need to attend the meetings. Doctors and lawyers have a referral system they use to keep their self help meetings limited to only those in their profession. This type of activity is against the traditions of AA, however, this type of exclusivity only helps to underscore the negative stigma that alcoholism has in the general society.

The following link is to one of the most highly recommended Drug and Alcohol treatment centers in theUnited States. This facility is located in the eastern mid-Atlantic states area.
http://www.fathermartinsashley.com

Happiness is helping someone help themselves.

Michael_e

Satisfaction

To pay the piper for the mindless actions,

the abuse of the body, and the torment of the soul,

caused by those wrongs we have done.

 Satisfaction is the payment of a penance

for the sins we commit.

 To the mind that thinks "it's all about me",

the mental hangover is the guilt and shame

caused by being selfish and self centered. 

To the body that abuses drugs, alcohol and food

the physical hangover is a warning  of pending doom.

 To the soul that must tolerate the mental and physical abuses, the hopelessness feels

like that of one who is adrift in the middle of an ocean on a raft with no sails or rudder.

 Forgive yourself and make the changes required to begin a better life.

  "It is of practical value to learn to like yourself. 
Since you must spend so much time with yourself 
you might as well get some satisfaction 
out of the relationship."   ~  Norman Vincent Peale

 Make restitution to others, one can not have committed mental and physical abuses

on ones self without hurting the family and friends who love us.

 Seek atonement from your Higher Power by doing the will of your Higher Power

from now and forever.

Your Higher Power has already forgiven you for all of your trespasses and your abuses.

Yesterday is history, what are you doing for yourself, others and your Higher Power , right now.

"There are some days when I think I'm going to die 
 from an overdose of satisfaction."                          ~ Salvador Dali

 Be kind, satisfaction being paid in advance. Be loving, satisfaction reciprocated.

 Be tolerant and patient, repayment of some abuses may take more than day or two.

 For those who cannot be satisfied by your efforts to do the next right thing, pray for them.

 Be the person your Higher Power wants you to be and know that satisfaction can also

be the fulfillment of a want or need.

 When you have peace of mind, improved health, and an ever increasing flow of spiritual energy,

you will have paid the piper.

Happiness is being satisfied.

Happiness is helping someone help themselves.

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ME and the Boss

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Mantram

"The mantram becomes one's staff of life and carries one through every ordeal.


Each repetition has a new meaning, carrying you nearer


and nearer to God."   ~Mahatma Gandhi

Don't have a mantra yet,

borrow one of mine:

"God grant me the serenity to accept

those thingsI cannot change, (Other People)

courage to change the things I can, (Me),

and the wisdom to know the difference."

Or:

Be kind, be loving, be patient and tolerant, be forgiving,

be the person God wants you to be.

Or:

God help me.

Or:

Seek out a sponsor, a friend, a person in the rooms who has what you want, and ask

them if you may borrow their mantra.

Everybody who is seeking spiritual progress has a mantra, a prayer, a way to seek

the will of their loving Higher Power.

God loves you or He would not have led you to the rooms so that you can get

clean, sober up and be able to better do His will.

Today, repeat after me, repeat after your sponsor, repeat after a true friend,

there is a better way.

Today, may you be blessed with one day of sobriety, may you find your mantra,

and may you find a pathway to spiritual progress that is happy, joyous and free.

Michael_e