Whew boy.....

[CK Stealth]

I'm Carol, I'm an alcoholic. I'm very sad to being up against a wall at this stage in my life. But the good news I've been reading this site and others and I'm getting up the nerve to go to a meeting very very soon.

[GeoffS]

Welcome Carol. You'll hear lots of useful stuff here. Hope you get to a meeting soon, nothing beats the live show!

[jgrabo]

Welcome Carol,
I understand your feeling sad at this point but you have already started on the path to a new begining by admitting that you have a problem - that your an alcoholic- You will find that the first meeting is the hardest one to get to after that you will probably look forward to them and to making the journey into the sober world where believe it or not we really are a pretty happy lot. Enjoy the site and all the info in it and good luck getting to that first meeting.

John

[justme5]

Hello. My name is Steff. I am a wife and mother of five and I am an alcoholic. I NEVER thought I would find myself saying that. I am a child of alcoholic and saw and heard many things in my home that I never wanted to repeat. Now here I am. I am so scared of what I hvae done to myself, marriage and my kids. I need help!

[CK Stealth]

Sincere thanks all for the replies.....just me I know exactly how you are feeling.

[Dallas]

Welcome to the site, Carol and Steff! Glad you're here. I hope you like our coffee. If you're having trouble finding our coffee pot -- please keep coming back! It's an invisible pot that's difficult to find at first -- but you'll be really glad that you kept coming back and found it! It's that good!!!

My sponsor often tells a little story about this guy in the ocean drowning. And, these three guys show up in an invisible boat. And, they say to the drowning man "Come on get in the boat!" And, the drowning man refuses to get in the boat because he says it's invisible and he can't see it.

Finally, on his last breath... he decides to get in the invisible boat. And, the guy at the front of the boat hands him an oar, and says "Now, row!"

The drowning man thinks "This is nuts! This is absolutely stupid! I'm not going to row for some dumb little invisible boat!" So, the guy that handed him the oar says "Either row or we'll throw your butt back in the water!" And, he decides... to row.

Much to his amazement... after spending some time rowing in the invisible boat -- he catches a glimpse of land! And, he notices that off in the distance is a Light House. So, he keeps rowing in that invisible boat.

It isn't long before he's on safe, dry land. And, instead of being grateful for being safe and dry... he complains "That was dumb! Who ever heard of rowing some dumb stupid invisible boat!" And, one of the other guys that was in the boat looks at him and asks "Well. Would you like to go and get back in the water?"

Often, it won't look like what we're doing -- or what we're going to do next -- will make any difference. It won't make any sense at all. It will be dumb and stupid. Kind of like going to a dumb, stupid meeting... we know it's a little thing and it won't do us much good! But, in our desparation -- we take a few steps anyway -- and we go ahead and do the little thing that we're sure won't make any difference if we do it or not. And, suddenly... we awaken to the discovery that "Wow! Something so little and stupid and dumb! But... I'm dry! And, I feel safe. And, for some crazy reason -- I'm feeling a little bit better!"

I wish you the best and I sincerely hope that you'll keep coming back!

Dallas

[CK Stealth]

Thanks Dallas! The story blows me away. Why? Last night I was thinking about a recent incident where I was watching our Fire/Rescue heros save a guy stranded on a sandbar in our river. He did not want to let go of his canoe. I overheard the radio conversation with their captain. He asked the fellow if he wanted to stay on the sandbar instead? I laughed at that. The canoe was last seen hitting the rapids unoccupied.

BUT, I just asked myself that question last night...wanna stay on the sandbar? That guy's canoe represents things I might not want to let go of. I think I see the invisible boat coming to rescue me....LOL....SOON.

Thanks again to you great souls here.

[Tim]

Here's a story that you may have heard:

A swollen river has flooded its banks and stranded a woman in her house. As the river rises, the woman is forced to climb onto the rooftop.

"God, please save me!," the woman cries out. A few minutes later a boat motors by the house and the man in the boat yells, "Jump on board and I'll get you to safety." The woman declines saying to the man that God will save her.

Soon after that a helicopter spots the woman on the roof with the water now at the eaves. Hovering overhead, the chopper pilot drops a rope ladder for the woman to climb up. The woman again refuses, saying, "God will save me!"

The waters continue to rise and the woman is swept away to her death. She arrives in heaven and says to God, "I cried out to you to save me and you didn't rescue me." God calmly replies, "I sent a boat and then a helicopter. What else did you want?"

AA is like that. For many of us, its helping hand reaching out to us is God's way of rescuing us from alcoholism.

[CK Stealth]

7 days sober....first time in 11 years....so grateful for the help I find here.

[Dallas]

Congrats on the 7 days Carol!!! People that are not like us -- don't always understand what a big deal it is for us to be sober for 24 hrs -- let alone for 7 days. I've never forgotten my first 24 hrs, first 48 hrs, first 7 days, and first 30 days... And, I hope that I never forget! That's one of the things that helps me stay sober -- remembering what it was like and how difficult it was to get that first 24 hrs and first 7 days! It sure wasn't easy. I didn't believe I could do it. I thought it was going to kill me at any moment. So, I definitely understand the appreciation and gratitude for seven days. And, it is a big deal for us. I'm happy for you. If there is anything I can do to help at any time, please let me know. That's the other thing that keeps me sober. I found out that the easiest most surest way for me to get another 24 hrs and another 7 days sober -- was to try to find some other alcoholic and try to do something that would help them get another 24 hrs -- and, if I would do that -- I'd get another 24 hrs for myself. I honestly do believe that this is the real secret why this deal works. Keep coming back! I appreciate you. Each new day that you get sober -- helps all of us stay sober one more day!

Dallas