The Days of Our Lives

a shot from a
Costa Rican road

(click on the pic to enlarge)




todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that we read PHYSICIAN, HEAL THYSELF from the Big Book of A.A. yesterday

for an increasing clarity on my need to look after myself before gaining an ability to help someone else (I should be doing 90/90 @ Al-Anon)

that I've been asked to make a short presentation on Tradition Three on Saturday Night at an A.A. District meeting - "The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking."

that, in recovery, we can all help other people without even trying. Even our absence in a meeting can be a good example of non-recovery, although it may not do much for our own program.

for a new sponsee who really seems to want to change his life

for a continuing influx of newcomers at Lambda

for early morning breakfast with Hayden (he's not a morning type of guy), his support of me in attending the noon A.A. meeting, an afternoon at The Galleria (I had not been in years), then a relaxing dinner and early night to bed

that tomorrow is HNT -- see ya there!

"Do not search for happiness.
Search for right living and happiness will be your reward."
DENIAL IS NOT A RIVER IN EGYPT

WE

BACKGROUND:
Since I stopped drinking in September '03, I've attended at least 1 A.A. meeting each day. On most days, I get to 2 meetings, sometimes 3. I don't do 90/90; it's more like 180/90. This is not to beat my own drum. This is what it seems to take for me to stay somewhat sane during these early years of recovery.

This past week, from Friday to Friday, I was out of town, in Costa Rica. On vacation with Hayden. I went down there armed with printouts of A.A. meeting locations and phone numbers in both areas we would be staying. We had tourist-type activities planned daily.

I did not make it to a meeting the first 2 days in San Jose (the capital city). Couldn't find the time. But I was fine and just enjoyed the scenery and good times. We then travelled to the Pacific coast resort where we would be staying for 4 days. More activity. All day and night. Day 3 -- no A.A. meeting. I was beginning to notice the change in my thinking. Certainly, Hayden noticed as well. He made mention of it. More than once. Day 4 - again no meeting. Things I was beginning to get ugly. I found fault with just about everything surrounding me. People, places and things. What's that saying about we always hurt the ones we love? You fill in the blank here. End of Day 4 (Tuesday)-- I was batshit crazy.

Wednesday morning I got a taxi and went to the closest A.A. meeting. It was less than a mile away from our hotel. Fine bunch of people, nearly all Americans now living in Costa Rica.
During that afternoon though, I got into an argument with Hayden. About nothing in particular, I was just being insane, finding things to argue about that I made up in my mind. So I went to another meeting at 6pm at a different location, even closer than the last. I shared during that meeting that I had been neglecting myself (my program) these past few days. I admitted that earlier in the day I had an argument with my partner. Then I corrected that statement by saying that I had an argument while he just tried to ignore me. Everybody laughed. They understood.

Now I was OK again. The world was once again a great place to be. I had returned to my normal self (God help us all). I went to another meeting the following morning, feeling all fine and full of recovery. Maybe my HP thought it was time for me to be personally shown that I can no longer treat my disease with words alone. I have to have the fellowship with other sober alcoholics. I must be physically present with you guys in the rooms. Meeting makers make it.

I had neglected the WE of the program. Without that, I have no program.