Wisdom Of The Rooms - 2022

[bluidkiti]

February 21

Quote of the Week

"Try not to place conditions on your sobriety."

The first time in the program, I had a lot of conditions on whether I was going to stay sober or not. First of all, if I wasn’t noticeably better within ninety days, I was going to quit. Next, if I wasn’t happy in six months, I was going to move to England and buy that pub and live above it. Last, if I made it to one whole year and wasn’t a hugely successful Hollywood producer, I was going back to drinking forever. Needless to say, I was drunk after ninety-one days.

When I finally got sober again and committed myself to working the Steps, I had a new set of conditions. To start with, if I were suddenly diagnosed with terminal cancer, I was going to get loaded. If my family were to die tragically, I was also going to drink and denounce God. And if things got so bad that I ended up in prison or on the streets, I was probably going to drink as well. My sponsor listened with amusement as I recounted my conditions. He had heard this all before. And that’s when he told me to try not to place conditions on my sobriety.

What I learned in the program is that my sobriety must come first, no matter what. All the scenarios I painted are part of life, and could indeed happen, but none of them would be made better if I took a drink. As I worked through the Steps and moved closer to my Higher Power, I discovered a peace and a strength I had never known. What I found is that my new spiritual condition is without a doubt the most valuable thing I possess, and as long as I hold on to that, I can get through anything with grace and even serenity. Today, sobriety is the only condition of my life, and so long as I have that, I have everything.