FELLOW TRAVELER

UNITY.....

One of our own died yesterday of complications from his hep C. He was sober. He had had problems with his liver for a few years, & was in & out of the hospital, this time he was ready to go. He was only in his early 50's. I am faced with what this disease does to us when this happens, which is quite often. We've lost a few, recently. This is one reason why, I am so addiment about AA, & learning about this disease. It does more harm physically than drugs, over a period of time. It destroys our liver, for one, but all our organs, really. This is one reason why the alcoholic needs an AA meeting to go to, & learn about his/her disease. The treatement centers, from what I hear don't teach anything about alcoholism, they teach a drug is a drug is a drug. Alcohol is so much more harmful physically, & they need to be teaching this, but that isn't in their profits margin. It's all about money. I am saddened by his death, alcohol took him early in his life. How many others does it have to take? The treatment centers need to get more responsible. I'm afraid AA won't be here for the true alcoholic in the future. This disease is centuries old. AA is the only thing that has been able to even touch on this problem. We have found a way out, & what are we doing with it now? We're letting treatment centers, & addicts dilute it, I've seen it happen over the years. It's scary to me. But then maybe I'm paranoid, I don't think so. I'm not saying drugs don't do harm, or that the addict doesn't need help. But they need to go to their NA meetings & learn more about their drug of choice, that would not be at an AA meeting. I'm not against addicts, I am one myself. Alcoholism is my primary disease, it is the symtom that got me here, & I was one sick puppy when I did get here, physicallly, mentally, emotionally, spiritualy. I had been brought to my knees by alcohol. I may turn some addicts against me, that's ok. Maybe someday, there will be an all step meeting...for everyone, with every addiction, until then we need to keep the singleness of purpose, the unity in our meetings, whether it be overeaters, sex addicts. codependents, alanons, gamblers, shop aholics, alcoholics, addicts, whatever. Tell me if you think I'm out of line, or being closed minded. I just know, that at the meetings today, not everyone is on the same page. I can pretty much relate to it all, but can the true alcoholic, well, maybe. I don't know anymore. I know that alcohol is but a symtom. But to me, the pure drug addict, & the pure alcoholic are a different species. The whole lifestle is different, for one. Ok, I'm not going to say anymore. I hope you get what I'm getting at. Yes, I know, I'm looking at the differences, not the similarities. I look at the old timer, who still needs meetings, or the alcoholic who has never done drugs & the whacked out meth addict that comes into the meeting, & wonder what the similarities are. I know, I'm being judgemental. I was once a whacked out crank addict, & I can tell you this, an AA meeting wouldn't have helped me. They didn't have NA then, & I hadn't heard of AA. So I went to a dr., & he helped me get off the drugs. I haven't been into drugs since then, but I did, shortly after I got well from the drugs, went right back to drinking, which is what I did before the drugs, & drank for another 20 yrs. & it brought me to AA. I risk being ostercised by writing this, I know, & I hope that doesn't happen. Hey, just about everyone I know is an alcoholic/ addict. But I do know a few alcoholics who have never taken drugs, & I tell you, they're not on the same page. It seems everything is about the drug addict these days, & I know it is a pressing problem. But let's not forget the alcoholic, or send him down the river. Ok, enough out of me. Shoot me if you want, but I'll still be here, trying to keep the singness of purpose in the meetings, & keep the unity. I want help for us all! I truly do. And yes, I get to practice love & tolerance in all this. Bottom line, we all need to be loved & accepted, & that is what I found in AA, so I guess I am very protective of it, it saved my life, I want it to be here for your children, & grandchildren. It has been here for 70 yrs., it has worked all these years, it has not been changed, I don't want some guy with 14 yrs. sobriety getting people believing it needs to be changed. I believe if people knew more about the history of AA, they wouldn't even think of changing it, that's trying to change God's will, & I believe, no, I know, AA is divinely inspired, He definitey had a hand in it coming about. Please, don't mess with it. Let it be here for another 70 yrs. & so on. Ok, I'll get off my soapbox, sorry. One more thing. There wouldn't be NA, CA, Alanon, GA, SA, or any of these if it weren't for AA being kind & loving enough to give their 12 steps to these other people who needed help. I think they knew what they were doing then, I believe that holds true for today. Ok, I'm done. Any feedback would be welcomed. My codependent self is asking you not to ostersize me, or think that I'm trying to ostersize any of you, I'm not, I want you to have the program of recovery of the 12 steps. And to end this, the more I think I know, the less I know, I'll leave it at that. You all have a terrific week end. It's going to be sunny & nice here. Yea!

posted by sharonsjourney @ 8:16 AM