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April 20, 2005
18 Months
Eighteen months ago today, I was hungover like a dog from the party we had had the night before, but I was hoping it was for the last time, because I had resolved a few weeks before that to quit after the party was behind us.
Three days later I wandered into my first AA meeting.
I have no idea how I have managed to stick with it, but I have, and I hope I don't ever go back, because this is so much better than I ever thought it could be.
I won't get a chance to make a meeting to get my chip until Saturday. I want to make sure I pick it up from the Liar's Club meeting at Spider House, since a lot of those guys were there for me during my worst months, and Saturday is the first Spider House meeting I'll be able to make.
To my friends: if you helped me during the past 18 months, thank you. If I helped you, I'm glad. And if you're a total stranger reading this and you want to quit but think you can't, just drop by Spider House some time, Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday at noon. If those guys could do it, and if I could do it, then you can do it.
Posted by ray at April 20, 2005 10:35 AM | Permalink
Categories: [austin | sobriety ]
Comments
Congratulations, Ray. I'm coming up on 20 years, myself.
Posted by: Chuck at April 20, 2005 10:57 AM
Thanks.
I remember my first meeting, I had inadvertantly walked into one that was affiliated with a rehab center, so there were a lot of people there counting days and weeks. And one wise old owl who had 9 years. And at the time I thought 9 years was just unfathomable. How can you possibly go 9 years all white-knuckled and crazy like this?
It didn't occur to me that a lot of the crazy goes away over time if you work it right. And now I know lots of people with 10, 20, 30 years. It seems doable. Desirable, even.
Congrats yourself. And nice new look on the blog.
Posted by: Ray at April 20, 2005 11:17 AM
proud of you Ray..
Posted by: melanie at April 20, 2005 8:11 PM
Rock on Ray.
Posted by: Karl Elvis at April 20, 2005 10:31 PM
(smile)
Posted by: sarah at April 20, 2005 11:34 PM
right on, ray! i'm about 2 weeks away from 9 months myself. ...for anyone else who's thinking about quitting or is in the first days/weeks, here's my experience: some days suck. some don't. it's getting easier. and i have never once got up in the morning regretting the fact that i didn't drink the day before.
Posted by: matt at May 26, 2005 1:35 PM
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