Balancing My Sober Life

Audie Version

OCCASIONALLY, I have heard people say, "There is more to life than AA meetings.", usually when justifying the number of meetings they attend per week - a decision which is nobody's business but theirs. My interpretation is "There is even more to life with AA meetings,". Since my early days in the Fellowship my attendance at meetings has reduced in number because the Fellowship is allowing me to pick up some of my interests, which were overwhelmed by the grip that alcohol had on me and also that my service to my group and intergroup is carried out between meetings.

At first, I couldn't get enough meetings even though I did fight against not drinking for a few months. I had to rely on the concern and friendship of those who were trying to help me. Getting acceptance was my key moment. It made me free to re-join society and life, without the bottle. Gradually I started to pick up the pieces and began to realise what a wonderful wife and non-alcoholic friends I had. Their relief was as great as mine.

My new life began by being introduced to service via the kitchen. My pride went out of the window when one day I was being helped and spoken to by a member with many years' sobriety. Movement through the groupsâ?? service positions to intergroup and region brought out some abilities that I was not aware of. It was through service to SHARE magazine that some of my interests outside AA were revived, so now I have a life of sobriety tempered with meetings and enjoying my home life and pastimes, and highlighting the merits of subscribing to SHARE. In my SHARE days I used to bemoan the 'deafening sound of silence' when trying to highlight SHARE - today I still bemoan the 'deafening sound of silence' when trying to gather information for intergroup archives.

Yes, there is more to life than AA meetings but even more life within the Fellowship.

PETER R, Colwyn Bay