I don’t believe that I have ever seen an alcoholic who was not very intelligent. In the case of Alcoholics, intelligence has nothing to do with formal education. I know and have known alcoholics that run the gamut in schooling and the one thing that they all have in common, besides their addiction, is their skill in living through all that they have and are now Happy, Joyous, and Free. They survive very well, thank you.
I salute anyone who is alcoholic and has gone for ANY LENGTH OF TIME without a drink. One who wants to live and not just exist. Especially one who is working on being sober and not just dry. My friends in AA have included judges to 1 percenters; doctors to street thugs; you name it. Not all, but many were angry, vicious people who now, if not actively looking to help someone, are at least not looking to harm a soul. Why? Because they discovered this amazing program and, however they got here, are in it to win it!
They now feel much better about themselves so this forces them to look differently at others. Now they are working the program to the best of their ability and loving the results. They wish to survive now so much that they are turning others into wondering if they belong here, too. How dumb could someone be to survive the mean streets of some of our urban areas and become some pretty decent people? Not at all! I include many of them in my extended family now. Why? Because, there but for the grace of God go I.
I see many of these people every week in the St. Andrews Soup Kitchen on Flint’s notorious, violent, impoverished East Side. I am watching the transformation of many of them taking place as we speak. The question here is the same as it is in so-called safe suburban areas where alcoholism is involved. Is the poor soul going to survive and live or die? Simple as this!
This disease will kill you. It could be from physical problems, traffic crashes, thuggery, or a host of different reasons. Most of which will never show up on the death certificate as alcoholism. But, we really know. Don’t we? So, if you are a live, breathing human being and have the disease of alcoholism, what do you really want? Do you want to live or do you want to die? Do you want to enjoy your life or do you want to continue being miserable? Simple as that!
How do I do this, you may ask? Just say “God help me” as each situation arises and then let Him! Remember, if you did not drink or drug today, you now have choices. Please, please choose wisely!
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