It’s been a bit since I’ve written some personal experiences here. Well, other than when I hit 19 years sobriety in the middle of last month, I haven’t had much time to hop on here and fill you in on the trials and tribulations, the joys and wonders of being sober is about.
On my anniversary, my birthday, my sobriety date, I went to an old home group up in San Francisco. I didn’t go specifically for that, but I found myself in the Bay Area and just thought it would be great to visit some old friends. No matter how hard you try, even in the days of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and many other forms of social networks, it’s still difficult to stay in touch. I am surely guilty of letting close friendships fall through the cracks. But, one thing I’ve learned is that people are always glad to see you in the doors of AA.
The small room, which probably seats about sixty people tightly, was filled to capacity on that Wednesday. The last Wednesday of the month is chip day, and I remember just how wonderful I felt before during and after that meeting. My hands stung from clapping so much. There is a true sense of joy in everyone’s faces. Today was no exception.
More than three years passed since attending this morning meeting, and thankfully there were a lot of familiar faces, there were also a lot of new faces too – at least to me. What I noticed most, and this might seem odd, but I think it comes from being in the halls so long, is that when one doesn’t see his or her sober friends for long periods of time, they tend to be hesitant. I wonder if they’ve been sober all this time, but that is quickly replaced by “Well, they are here. So, even if they picked up they are back. Who cares? Just keep moving forward, and keep trying.” Today was no exception.
As I sat, I set my coat around the back of my chair and I looked up and back to my right where I saw an old friend from when I lived in San Francisco. He has great recovery, and always a warm smile. Again, today was no exception. We stood and gave each other a warm hug, and did then a quick catch-up before the meeting got started. I let him know I had to get to work shortly after the meeting, and then was going on vacation, but that we’d stay in touch this time around. It felt great. We went through the usual pre-meeting rituals, and then the speaker was introduced. He was someone I recognized immediately. When I attended this morning meeting on regular basis, I remember seeing him. He struggled, falling in and out of being clean and sober. He spoke from the floor often, but his determination was there. My heart would honestly ache for him. And now here he was; his eyes bright, his pallor pink and shining, and his smile lighting up the room. He had the look of someone clean AND sober, and from where I sat I could see the courage and determination he so valiantly put forth years ago had won. I turned to my friend, and he held up three fingers, which meant to me the speaker had three years sobriety.
Incredible! A miracle, to say the least.
BIO
Recovery Rob is a 47-year-old man who has more than eighteen years of sobriety, whose drugs of choice at one time were alcohol and drugs, and he has worked in and around the field of addiction for more than 20 years. Recovery Rob is a professional writer who has published two novels and is currently working on his third. He has been writing and working as Pat Moore Foundation’s premiere blogger and content writer, which helps keeps Pat Moore Foundation’s addiction and recovery blog top-rated.