If I had a pound for every time I’ve heard this phrase or similar, well let’s just say I could buy a very nice bottle of champagne (in reality of course, it would be bottles of the cheap Vodka 😊. The simple fact is, that we are all drunks, we might drink from a more expensive bottle, or lookout towards a nicer view whilst doing it, or be in the safe company of others, rather than being alone, cold and scared, but we are all running from something.
AA is full of great characters, some happy, some sad, some angry, some seemingly ‘well to do’ and others apparently down on their luck, but what we all have in common is a willingness to stay sober and the courage to face, and in time, confront those reasons that led us down our own dark path.
If you are reading this and still thinking that you are perhaps an exception to the rule and special and different, then may I humbly suggest that when it comes to alcohol dependence, we’re all the same, we’re all helpless and hopeless.
If you are serious about recovery, then you really need to keep an open mind, remember the further you went down your own path of destruction, the more your mind closed, surely then, opening up your mind to embrace opportunities for recovery, will give you a better chance to find your way to recovery and a life free from planning your next drink, buying or stealing it, hiding it and worse of all thinking that others are stupid enough not to notice!
Very few people manage to find their way to recovery and (their version of) contentment without help. That help may come from true friends and family, but for the most part, we need the support of others like us, who have some level of experience and pain in terms of the desperation, isolation and challenges we have encountered and the understanding and support to guide us back on the right track.
On many occasions, I have seen that help coming from the people who you may least expect. It doesn’t necessarily need to be from someone of a similar age, social standing or even having the same story, it might for example, be that big, loud, bald, ‘passionate’ guy (passion for you to ‘get it’ which could easily be mistaken for anger). He may be the one to metaphorically scoop you up and gently set you back down on the seat right next to him and teaches you to ‘take the cotton wool out of your ears and put it in your mouth!’ with the words ‘Just listen, my friend! Just listen.’
Please open your ears and open your mind.
In fond and precious memory of ‘Big Andy’ x