Hi. I'm Harry and I'm an alcoholic

[Zanthos]

Hi everyone. I'd like to introduce myself. Sobriety date is 11/2004.

I once had over 3 years of "sobriety". Went to meetings, but that was it. No sponsor, no Steps, no Higher Power. I'm amazed I hung around AA as long as I did and learned nothing whatsoever!

This time, it sure feels very different! Entered rehab on Thanksgiving Day, 2004 at the age of 45. And as of that day, there was only one thing I knew, and that was that I had no idea how to live without drinking. Which is to say I had no idea how to live. Period. I had felt hopeless and desperate before. Many, many times, in fact. But this time I feel like I became open minded for the first time in my life. I'm glad I found myself in a place I felt safe and could trust. I've been practicing what I learned in rehab and in AA ever since. And trying to remain teachable.

I'm enormously grateful to be in recovery. I've felt a greater sense of well-being over the last 18 months than I thought was possible. Before I started working the Steps and the AA program of recovery, I had no conception of hope, trust, honesty, humility, patience, acceptance, tolerance, or compassion for others.

Doing my 4th Step with the help of the Hazeldon Step Four book was a real eye-opener! I had no idea of the multitude of attitudes, thoughts and emotions I indulged in that were causing me emotional and spiritual harm.

Anyway, here I am. Hello.

[Dallas]

Hey Harry!!! I just welcomed you to the site in another post... but, I'd like to welcome you again!!! Thanks for the great sharing! My experience identifies with a lot of yours. And, I, too, got sober in a November! (11/14/1986).

It's great to have you here and I'm looking forward to reading many more of your posts!

Keep coming back!

Dallas

[anniemac]

Hi Harry,

Welcome!! So glad you're here with us. We're around the same age. I remember when I turned 40, although I was still drinking, I felt convinced that life begins after 40. Maybe that was a thought born out of desperation - my life hadn't started prior to that, so I had to hope it would start at some point! And, getting sober at 42, I have found it to be true -- my life had finally started!! What an amazing feeling to be alive and to be aware of my senses. So glad I've joined the world of the Living!!

Anne

[Molly M.]

Hi Harry,

I just wanted to chime in with the others and welcome you. I'm in the 40+ club too I'm still getting used to it. After blacking out for so many years I still feel alot younger than my age--it's the rumplestilskin syndrome

I hope to hear/read more posts from you.