Recovery Lessons

Yesterday while leaving a 12 step meeting I encountered a former client who was hanging out on the street with one of his former drinking buddies.

When he shook hands and spoke with me it seemed as if he were trying to convince me all was well in his life. He wore an air of false bravado that belied his appearance. Normally neat and clean, he was unshaven and appeared to be under stress.

The client, who left our program on bad terms, has recently been seen in different parts of town leaving convenience stores with what looks like bottles of alcohol. So what's the point of mentioning an alcoholic who’s on another binge?

Probably the only real value is that this illustrates that until we get sober nothing else really works.

While this former client is no longer welcome in our program because we have been unable to help him, his story is a good example. Alcohol has nearly killed him on more than one occasion. He has tried repeatedly to get sober without success. He's an intelligent man – yet his seeming lack of humility keeps him from grasping the simple instructions of the 12 steps.

Until alcohol finally took over his life, he had a great career with a major corporation. Today his life is an endless cycle of relapses and drinking binges that have nearly killed him.

Seeing him reminded me once again to be grateful for my sobriety.