OKaysez

 Made a Decision … Letter to a Struggling Newcomer:

 

Dear _________:

Most people in their first year or two in AA find it can be exhilarating, exciting, challenging, and interesting. They meet new friends. They discover a life without having to hide in a bottle. Their families are proud of them again. They start to think about what they might be able to do in the rest of their life!

And then ... reality sets in!

"Is this it? Is this the rest of my life? No escape from meetings and not drinking?"

It can all start to look a bit daunting and a bit boring. But underneath that is a lurking hint of "Is it worth all this work?"

 Or, even worse, "am I worth all this work?"

You, at nine months, have reached that place where the rubber meets the road. (Statistically, more people slip at nine months than at any other time). You'll either dig in and gain traction or you are headed for the ditch. There is no middle ground. You are either all in - or you're setting yourself to get out. I hate to be so blunt, but I've seen it many times in my now many sober years, and I've also sponsored a lot of people who were too afraid to get real.  

But you are NOT one of those people. I've seen your courage and I've seen your joy in the rooms. Trust me on this, you have only - barely - scratched the surface of everything AA has to offer you in the months and years ahead. Don't ever give up before the miracle - miracles - happen! It's time to buckle down now and get to it. 

You were not in the book study group tonight. Why not? That's where the learning is.

How many zoom meetings are you getting to?

Are you getting to any zoom meetings in other countries? If yes - great! If not, why not? It's a fabulous opportunity to see AA working in the lives of people all over the world. 

Are you working with others? Are you through all 12 steps for the first time? If so, are you sponsoring anyone yet? If not, why not? That's the BEST way to learn what AA has to teach you about fun and joy and recovery and so many other lessons that you can't even begin to fathom yet. 

Get busy. Read more. Dig deeper. As it says in the Big Book, you have just picked up a few gold nuggets scattered around a stream bed. You have to dig for the vein of gold called the Mother Lode. 

It's there ... so start digging.

I send you love and hugs and a big kick in the arse to get moving and motivated again.

We need you, AA needs you, 

YOU need you. 

Sincerely,  OKay