sp
Find a Meeting
To find AA meetings and your local helpline number in Great Britain, and English-speaking meetings in continental Europe please click below.
Search 'online' to see all currently registered online meetings (updated daily)
Alcoholics Anonymous
Great Britain
and English Speaking Continental Europe
Call our National Helpline
Call FREE on
Find a Meeting
Search 'online' to see all currently registered online meetings (updated daily)

A Sober Emigration

A Sober Emigration to Queensland

Audio Version   N/A



Can't believe my AA birthday is coming up really soon at the start of May, I'm gob smacked. Thank God a Higher Power caught me in the nick of time.  I just got that feeling life was ebbing away if I did not get help. I tried on my own for so long and the most I got up to timewise was six months. That was hellish, and I knew then, what I found out in AA was that I was a dry drunk. No booze, but so sad and angry that I could not drink. I dare not drink because of not knowing where I would end up. But of course I would drink again, just a couple then back to where I had been.  

Eventually I picked up the phone and asked for help. It lead me to where I am now.

I love to give a bit back for any anniversary as I am so grateful to make it there, One Day At A Time. So sending a share is what I love to do. Can't believe it is 30, this one. I did learn in AA never to take it for granted and keep it forefront and centre and number one in my life. I think that has happened over the years, and am grateful that sobriety still is a huge part of my life today. 

So it's been a tough, hard journey that has got better a day at a time.  Have to be honest, those first ten years were hard.  But meetings, people, sponsor and sponsees have made it such a worthwhile life.  Giving to receive and receiving a lot. Listening to the sharing and the people that made me want to come back. The gifts I was given were awareness, seeing all the beauty of nature, the spiritual part of our programme of recovery. Totally knowing a HP is there for all times, good and bad. Life is good even with setbacks.  You know that we all have our challenges and with this Programme of recovery I have a good chance to deal with it and learn from it for the next time. It's hard to believe life got to that stage where booze was the only thing that mattered. Today it is so different. There's so much more to life whatever age I am, so every day is a bonus. I was able to emigrate 13 years into sobriety. Who'd have thought that would be a possibility? It was. Have loved it here each and every day and now live by the sea. A beaute little town in Queensland. So you can see, so much to be grateful for.

Got back two years ago to the UK to see sponsees and sponsor, how wonderful that was. It was just so good to catch up and see each other as though no time had elapsed between us, we know each other so well.  Our common journey's give us that bond that carries on even though so many miles between us. I'll end now, and wish you all a happy and healthy journey to sobriety. Thank you 'Share' such a great little read and feel like you're in a meeting whenever it's picked up. And not alone.

STELLA Q.