I definitely had to take it one day at a time to endure my first week of sobriety. My only reprieve from thoughts of drunkenness was blissful slumber every night.
Tonight’s new member reminded me of my first few days of withdrawal from alcohol. I could barely hold a cup to drink from it. I had the most awful night sweats. My every waking thought was of getting a drink to calm these most discouraging symptoms. I definitely had to take it one day at a time to endure my first week of sobriety. My only reprieve from thoughts of drunkenness was blissful slumber every night.
After the meeting, I and Wanda were sitting on the back porch talking of this newcomer. Wanda has a cumulative eight years of sobriety.
“I’ve seen that so many times over the years,” She said. “They come and you never see them again.”
“Maybe we will see him tomorrow,” I replied.
“Only by God’s grace will he quit drinking,” She said. “He will have to have a spiritual reawakening.”
The whole experience tonight put me in such a somber mood. I could see myself in that poor fellow. If I wouldn’t have gotten sober, death would have surely awaited me. I wondered if the same thing would befall him as well. There are so many alcoholic souls out suffering through desperate lives who will never find these hallowed halls of AA and the wonderful people who help support you. I am one of the lucky few.
I am not a religious man and I rarely pray, but I said a small prayer for that poor addicted soul surprising myself as I mumbled those words as I rode my bike home.
God, if you are real, work your magic tonight. Help that man turn around his life. I know I am not a Christian, but I hope all I have heard about you is true and that you are forgiving. Forgive me for my transgressions and look out for that man who needs you the most right now. Amen.
8 comments:
What a very nice prayer. I'm sure God heard you loud and clear.
Have faith. Not necessarily in God, but in the fact that if you, as you say, were able of getting sober and turn your life around, then so can he. Have faith that the amazing luck you've had, will also get ahold of this man and so many others. Have faith...
Take care.
That post brought a tear to my eye. I was touched by your empathy for this poor man. I hope he's back tomorrow.
wow... that was a very nice prayer...I can assure you that everything about him is true and that definitely, he'll look after him and you too!.. :)
The power of prayer... your empathy toward that man, lead us to share it and offer our prayers too... Let's be with him, and with Rosa and the gang, and with you and your family,and well... let's pray for all of us so we won't be forgotten by the Big Guy's Heart... but if he is real... than, for sure we are far from forgotten.
Have a nice night/day;
Laurent
I "found" you tonight, the same way many others apparently have, by clicking that "Next Blog" button at the top of my blog. I just spent hours reading your posts and looking at your photos. I'm hooked.
As for your prayer this evening, I'm sure it was heard. Here's to hoping everyone was right where they were supposed to be today...
I'm a nurse and I've seen people go through these withdrawals. My husband doesn't think it's true, but then again, I think the prospect of the DT's is scarier than being a drunk.
Andrew, I love how you told the story of that poor chap. I see a lot of those souls in some alcohol rehabs and to tell you frankly, they are quite young. I hope that more people like you will get to inspire them to change. I know their full recovery is forthcoming since they are completely willing to withdraw from alcoholism.
--eunice
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