I’m so glad I found AA. In August 2021 I’d been discharged from hospital for the umpteenth time with the usual ‘never again’ same old story that I told myself every time I tried to stop drinking. I was back on track, back to work and by December I thought to myself “Was I really that bad?” Old thoughts came creeping in: I’d only been in trouble with the police a couple of times, only had a few hospital stays, surely there was worse than me, my head told me.

By chance, I met someone who knew me and knew a bit about my problems with alcohol. He suggested I try an AA meeting. I didn’t really want to go but the people pleasing I’d picked up since stopping drinking made me feel that I’d have to in case I bumped into the gentleman again and had to explain why I had not gone. I arrived at the meeting not knowing what to expect. I was there on time, albeit in Christmas fancy dress as I’d just finished a shift at work.

When I got there, people were outside mingling and the gentleman who had suggested I come was also there. He welcomed me along with everyone else. I was made a cup of tea and thought “Well at least they made me feel welcome”. The meeting started and the gentleman sharing was celebrating an AA birthday. He was maybe a generation older than me, but it sounded as though he was talking just about me and I was fascinated. As it continued round the room I thought everyone in that room knew all about me. I knew exactly what everyone was talking about and that’s because I was an alcoholic just like everyone else in that room. I said very little at my first meeting, but what a relief to finally know what I was and that there were other people just like me, and they were there to help me as much as I was helping them.

It will be two years in December, God willing and I count each day as a blessing. I wake up to AA every day. AA teaches me to live the best life I can and has taught me to live sober: something I could never do. I can go places and do things I never thought possible for a helpless drunk. Thank God I found AA. Amen!

Kerry
Tain