Phone calls that saved my life

I contacted AA by phoning the Helpline because for the first time in my life I couldn’t make it in to work because I’d been drinking during the night. Shortly afterwards I received a phone call from a man who arranged to come and talk to me and then take me to a meeting that evening. There were only men in the room and I thought that was understandable because I always joined the men at any gathering as we drank at the same pace! Women tended to sip drinks and that didn’t suit me at all. I wasn’t completely sober but I enjoyed the meeting, listened to the advice I was given and at the end another very nice man gave me a lift home and told me not to drink in the morning and to keep busy if the thought of a drink came into my head. I happily agreed to that but it wasn’t easy when I woke up in a state at 5am – a state that only a drink would fix!

I managed not to drink by doing what I was told – for once in my life - and then around 9.30am people who had been at the meeting started phoning to check how I was and to encourage me not to lift a drink for that day. They must have arranged to take turns to phone me and I was told to keep the phone numbers I had been given me at the meeting and to phone if I needed to talk to another alcoholic and importantly that I wasn’t being a nuisance. I was also told that a lady who was a member of AA had agreed to visit me later in the morning to talk to me about alcoholism and what had happened to her.

That was the start of my journey in AA and I had been sober for 6 weeks when I woke up one morning in an emotional state that only a drink would fix – again! My three children were going on holiday with their dad (from whom I was estranged) and I was going to be left by myself. At that time, I didn’t understand my emotions and about how dangerous it is for alcoholics to feel sorry for themselves and how scared I was to be alone. However, I did the busy bit again and at a reasonable time I did what I had been told – for the second time in my life – and lifted the phone to explain my problem to the lady who had visited me on day one, to ask what I should do.

She talked to me for a while and then told me that I had to ask my Higher Power to help me so that I didn’t drink that day. She told me that I didn’t understand about a Higher Power yet but that I should trust her and just do it! She also said that was the only way I would manage to stay sober that day, that she hoped I would make it and that she would phone me later. At the many meetings I had attended I had heard that the illness was progressive and only got worse so I was desperate and I still get emotional just remembering how scared I was. I did what I was told – for the third time in my life - and got on my knees beside my bed. All I said was, “Please help me not to drink today.” The next thing I remember was that I was whistling as I climbed the stairs to make sure the kids were getting ready to go on holiday. That awful, awful churning in my stomach was gone and I couldn’t believe it. I was ecstatic to hope that maybe, just maybe, AA had the answer to my problem. That wonderful lady became my sponsor and took me through the Twelve Step Programme. I will be forever grateful to her because she taught me how to live a happy, sober life.

I did stay sober that day and have continued to remain sober for almost 29 years, all because I lifted the phone and continue to do so to this day, when I don’t have the answer to whatever is bothering me. I have also continued to do what I’m told!

Anonymous