Hope

Every alcoholic makes excuses for continued drinking and most of the time do a fairly good job of convincing them self they are valid. As I neared the rock bottom of my diseased life, I too thought escape was impossible unless you counted death. Even after rehab, my future still seemed bleak. I remember my first few months of sobriety, I disliked AA at the time but it did accomplish a valuable purpose as I listened to the old timers who had found a way to stay sober- it gave me hope.

I thought this video of the hound Houdini would be a pleasant way to remind all that despite desperate odds, there is always the chance for escape. To get the full effect, I suggest listening to the theme to The Great Escape while you watch the video.

Have a safe and sober weekend everybody!

Update: I found a video with theme attached- great stuff!

I am an ardent supporter of the twelve steps and especially admire AA, but I rarely attend these types of meetings even though they have greatly influenced my personal recovery program. There is not a conflicting interest or cloaked animosity, just a recovering alcoholic that has found his own way, “and works it because it works.”

So it is rare that I will post a “step” topic, but I ran across a piece that I really liked over at Sober Mojo on the first step, particularly the definition of powerless. Now for me, this is the one step that leads little open for interpretation.

We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.

It takes very little effort for me to recall how helpless and ineffectual I had become while consumed by alcoholism. Totally dominated, I needed to drink to live and every waking moment was spent in pursuit of sustenance. In complete servitude, I had been beaten down physically so that I shook and bled internally yet still I worshipped my master. My addiction to alcohol taught me what true and complete power really was… and I knew without a doubt that I had absolutely none.

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