A nightclub crowded with men and women all dressed up in evening clothes looks like a very gay place. But you should see the men's room of that nightclub the next morning. What a mess! People have been sick all over the place and does it smell! The glamour of the night before is all gone and only the stink of the morning after is left. In A.A., we learn to take a long view of drinking instead of a short view. We learn to think less about the pleasure of the moment and more about the consequences. Has the night before become less important to me and the morning after more important?
First of all, we see how dated most literature in the program is by its very wording. LOL... Doesn't make it any less true, though. It's just as relevant now as it was decades ago.
Drinking isn't something that appeals to me any more, but when that idea does pop into my head, all I have to remember is the hell that follows immediately after. It's enough to put me right back on track. I take into account the consequences rather than the instant gratification.
Really like the thought for the day. If you've ever been in a men's room in the French Quarter you know what this person was talking about.
Got a long day at work tomorrow, so I'm about to start winding down.
Have a great night!
REALIZATION OF PAST EXPERIENCES IS AN AWAKING SOMETIMES
ReplyDeleteThat was one of my techniques early on when I was just trying so hard to break a heavy drinking habit. I would 'look through' the 5 o'clock pull to the end of the evening or the morning waking up.. look through the drinking bit to the bit when the drinking stopped and imagine that time without the drinking having taken place (does that make sense?).. it worked for me anyway. And now, by the end of a heavy drinking evening when I've been sober I look around at all the sloppy drunk people and feel so so glad that I'm not one of them.
ReplyDeleteLike you, when I get struck with the thought of drinking I never stop by that sole thought. But immediately follow that trail... mmmm one cold beer. But we all know there is no such thing as ONE beer or ONE glass of wine. For me it's all or nothing. So the trail will lead me through the [all] and what started with the [one] will end several months later. Months of binge drinking and rapid decline, a discontinued life.
ReplyDeleteYuk... suddenly that one beer doesn't seem so tempting any longer hahaa
We're in Mardi Gras season right now. Everywhere I look, there's somebody stumbling around making an ass of themselves. That was me one time. I can still make an ass of myself sometimes, but at least I'm sober while doing it... LOL
ReplyDeleteAnd walking through the French Quarter during the day and having to step over a puddle of barf? Well. I'd rather be the guy stepping over it than the guy who made it. ;)