Simple but not easy

Everyone in the Fellowship tells you that this is a simple Programme for complicated people and alcoholics are certainly complicated people. Theoretically, nothing could be simpler for anyone to accept than, ‘if you don’t pick up that first drink you can’t get drunk’. 

Sobriety then was freedom from alcohol with no idea of what sober living was to be about. At the end of my drinking I was the loneliest person in the world. Everyone had given up on me, nobody wanted to be around me, what else was left, than to drink? Then AA helps me stop drinking a day at a time and I have to start trying to live in the environment around about me, as others are certainly not going to change just because I am off the drink. Living with family, work colleagues, acquaintances, had to be learned and it certainly wasn’t easy. Character defects, shortcomings and morals all started back in my life and dealing with those things which had been alien to me for years and still staying off the drink was very difficult. Thank goodness for AA meetings and old timers who were only too willing to help me. 

Without doubt the most difficult thing I was ever asked to do in AA was change me. There had never been anything wrong with me other than I drank too much - why should I have to change? Fortunately, being introduced to the 12 Step Programme soon knocked that on the head and to date, it is still difficult to look at me as I really am and see how much changing has to be done.

‘Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path.’ If I continue trying one day at a time to follow the path many others have successfully travelled before I came along, then I too can look forward to spiritual progress not spiritual perfection.

Easy does it, but do it.

Anon