My gratitude both to and for AA
“The most important thing I learned was not to lift the first drink and get to plenty of meetings. That’s what I have been doing, and I have never promised anyone that I’ll never drink again, as I’m an alcoholic today and will be to the day I die.”
Hi friends.
My name is Joan, I’m an alcoholic and a member of the Giffnock Friday Night Group in Glasgow. My sobriety date is 4 August 1994 and I am writing this on my 31st AA birthday. I remember a man saying to tell people how long you are sober as it’s an encouragement to the newcomers but it’s also a reminder to each and every one of us that we are one drink away from being a drunk again.
The reason I came to AA was my daughter was 12 and my son, who was 14, said to my mum that he wanted his old mum back. I didn’t know anything about this three-fold illness that I suffer from, or the family illness. I would have laid down my life for my two kids but at that time I didn’t know how selfish and self-centred I was, as all I was concerned about was me and the drink. My dad said to me that I was killing my mum with worry and that I was going to lose my kids. To be honest with you, at that time I couldn’t care less.
The most important thing I learned was not to lift the first drink and get to plenty of meetings. That’s what I have been doing, and I have never promised anyone that I’ll never drink again, as I’m an alcoholic today and will be to the day I die. The good thing is I can arrest this illness by taking it one day at a time. I had to accept that I was an alcoholic, stop blaming everyone else for me being one, and I had to change. In my case I certainly had to grow up as well. Over the years, I have experienced births, deaths and marriages, and have managed to get through it all because of other people’s examples. I can’t thank AA and my Higher Power, who I choose to call God, for the life I have today but know if I lift another drink then that might be the one that kills me.
The Giffnock Friday Night Group will be celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year. I would like to thank the members past and present who have been on this journey with me as I couldn’t have done it on my own. In closing, I would especially like to thank the people who are no longer with us for their examples and who I have never forgot.
Joan
Giffnock Friday Night