An Evening With the Old-Timers

I have been looking forward to this meeting for months! I absolutely love the Helen, Ga. old-timers group. I wish I could find one like it around New Orleans... not that there aren't great groups there. NOLA has an amazing AA support system.

The folks here, though, are just some of the kindest country people you could hope to meet. I told them in my share that I wished I could load them all up on a bus and take them back home with me. One lady said she'd go if she could meet Drew Brees.

There were some familiar faces from September that I was glad to see. We had a good topic too. The 10th step, anger, and how we deal with it. We all still deal with anger and resentment sometimes. The difference is that, now, I can identify my frustrations and consciously deal with them in a healthier way. And I don't get frustrated nearly as easily as I once did. That's a character defect I turned over to God.

Got to go gem mining with my dad today. It was actually his suggestion. He's been on the lookout for rubies that he can put in his rock polisher. We found him a couple. Found some other really cool gems too.

Cooked an awesome crawfish pasta casserole for dinner. Gonna try and remember how I made it so I can do it back home too.

It was a really cool day that I got to spend with my folks... And I can't wait to see my old-timers again in June!

Goodnight, all.

Serenity Now

I've discovered that the truest test of how well I maintain my serenity is at work. Tonight I was working the area that I like the very least. I can honestly say that dealing with the endless parade of people used to frustrate me to no end. It was frustrating tonight and I caved a bit in my attempt to quit smoking completely. I ended up having about 3 or 4 for the entire day. Nothing to sneeze at, but it does mean that there is more work to do.

I didn't want to drink, though. I didn't take it out on anyone else and I didn't slam any doors. I just did my job and took a breather whenever I needed one. You see, I'm not just abstaining from alcohol. I'm working my recovery. Using tools that I learn in my program to overcome behaviors from my past. Behaviors that, quite frankly, made me look like an ass. Giving in to frustration being only one.

In abstinence all you are doing is not drinking. This works for a few, but for most the old behaviors are still there and they eventually end up going back out again. I was one of those people for a while. Being content with not drinking. Thinking everyone else should be too. Thought I had all the answers, but would inevitably find myself back at square one. "The Doctor's Opinion" in the Big Book has a lot of good stuff regarding this. I've added a link to it in a previous post too. Through recovery (not just abstinence) I've learned alot about why I drank, the behaviors that led to me going back, and what I can do to ensure that I never drink again. If one is serious, earnest, honest, and willing to stick to their program, there is no reason to ever suffer that hell again. Enthusiasm is key too. Happiness comes naturally when you start to heal. It's working for me.

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.