I think that would be an amazing idea honestly! Having these types of discussions is key in maintaing sobriety, checking in with yourself and holding yourself accountable. If it were possible, maybe setting up a specific time to where everyone can meet on Zoom. I know it allows you to even share screens so you could bring the reading up and everyone can participate whether they have a big book yet or not ![]()
Good idea. Someone should take point on that. Set a zoom link up and let’s have a meeting!
Good morning andGod’s grace to you staying sober another day
For me, when I read this I’m reminded how important it is to remember where I came from. What my drinking days were like. Sometimes people think we are SO different now because my life looks different today, but it didn’t always look like this. Those days can show others still struggling that we really aren’t all that different after all and they could have what I do too.
Lately I’ve found myself speaking often to people I grew up with or used to hang out with often about recovery. Some have been following this path a while, some are brand new to it and others are dipping their toes into the idea of sobriety. There’s nothing better than knowing we truly are never in it alone and we can recover together, if we so choose. But the choice is always up to us. I can just share my own experience, strength and hope when asked-but that just may help save someone else’s life too. I get to be a link in the chain today and I am grateful for this. ![]()
I love how this reading reinforces that our helpfulness lies in sharing our experience, strength and hope. In all aspects of life, this has been a big change for me, maybe the biggest! I love it when I catch myself speaking from: you should, and changing it to: this worked for me. If the former worked, so would Just Say No, or, Why don’t they just Stop? Rereading this selection is also reminding me that I will never be cured of this malady. Sadly, my recent experience back at my home meetings has proven this, as the holiday stress relapse excuse seems to be taking hold. For some, these present an opportunity to go out until the new year. For others, a healthy dose of respect for the subtle foe and a rededication to one another and to our HPs.
The other thing that stands out, is the reminder on page 93: you had better use everyday language to describe spiritual principles. I think especially in a global forum like this, it’s important. Our common welfare comes first: Tradition 1.
Thank you Mandi ![]()
Thank you Mandi ![]()
There’s a lot of really strong stuff in here! The full realization that the responsibility for each person’s own unconditional sobriety rests with them. This may seem at first a harsh truth, but when I was shown that it was not based on mere willpower, it became a great liberation, relapse-free.
Every time I read this section, I think to myself-Man I could sure have used the advice of a sponsor in my relationships in early sobriety!
I did have a therapist at my 1 year mark to help me easily dissolve my dysfunctional live-in relationship, but I was checked out of it as soon as I got sober and saw with perfect clarity there was absolutely NO fixing it. I had really known that for months prior but I could drink and forget the problems…Until I quit drinking. We were so disconnected, we lived completely separate lives. We were absolutely in our alcoholism together and while he quit drinking when I did, we were no where near recovering together.
But, it was a path of errors I had to walk. To get hurt. To hurt others. To own. And to correct. Making that amends was a very powerful one several years later.
Learning how to have sober relationships has been one of the hardest yet most rewarding parts of my recovery.
So, I still wouldn’t change it-but I can say with some certainty it would have been better to work through them with someone in recovery as my own best thinking got me no where good. It took my recovery and my higher power to lead me exactly where I was meant to be and precisely when I was able & meant to be here. And here is pretty damn good. ![]()












