Awakening...

It’s a wonderful experience to see an alcoholic suddenly wake up and realize he has a problem.

It happened this week when a client who was upset because the courts had ordered him to go to 90 12-step meetings reported what happened after he went to a few meetings.

            “I was in my sixth or seventh meeting and listening to the speaker,” he said.  “Then suddenly I realized he was telling my story.  At that moment I knew I was alcoholic.”

With this epiphany he recognized his problem. And better, he realized that he also had a solution.

Too many times I’ve seen alcoholics and addicts attend meetings, but who are unable to identify with the others. It happened to my own brother who died at 60 years old from the effects of drinking.

One of the things he said after attending several meetings is “I’m not like these guys.” 

So he went back to drinking.  He died about six months later, never believing he had a problem.