July 10, 2023 - Readings in Recovery: Step by Step

 

Step by Step

Monday, July 10, 2023

“Liquor ceased to be a luxury; it became a necessity. ‘Bathtub’ gin, two bottles a day, and often three, got to be routine. Sometimes a small deal would net a few hundred dollars, and I would pay my bills at the bars and delicatessens. This went on endlessly, and I began to waken very early in the morning shaking violently. A tumbler full of gin followed by a half a dozen bottles of beer would be required if I were to eat any breakfast. Nevertheless, I still thought I could control the situation …” — Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd Edition, 1976, Ch 1 (“Bill’s Story”), p 5.

Today, grant me understanding that drinking is neither a luxury nor a “right” for me and that I can never again be a “responsible” drinker but, in fact, will progress in severity. And as AA co-founder Bill W. came to believe that he could control “the situation” but eventually could not, so it goes for me. Let me recognize the lifeline that is there for me that Bill W. helped to weave. The help that Bill W. co-developed is there for me now, when it wasn’t there for him. Today, I will not just ask for help — I will embrace it because it is there — just for my taking. And our common journey continues. Step by step. — Chris M., 2023