37 Years Clean & Sober! 5-16-18

[ROGER4314]

Today is a big day for me! On May 16, 1981, I used my last alcohol and other substance. 37 years clean and sober! It has not been easy, but the 12 step programs worked for me. Never "slipped" and the desire to do those things and live the life that goes with them were lifted off of my back.

The Higher Power did it all. I didn't have enough sense to do it alone and I'm very grateful! God willing, I'll make another year...........One day at a time!

Flash

 

[RobertTheTexan]

Congrats amigo. Well done and good job recognizing that it easy just about “you”.


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[Longhorn1986]

Well done! Been a bit over eight years myself.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

Congratulations Roger!

 

[TxStetson]

Good job Roger and Longhorn.

 

[Ole Cowboy]

Good on you guys for the strength it took to take those steps in life.

 

[Charlie]

Congratulations on you stamina and resolve!

 

[ROGER4314]

Thanks for the kind words!

Friend Bonnie is coming over today so we can experiment with my new "Air Fryer". We don't have a clue how to work the thing, but I bought 5 pounds of chicken wings, fries, tater tots and onion rings, so by the end of the day, we should have it figured it out!

Jake the Wonder Dog will be thrilled to see his Momma, I completed work on several rifles including a .458 Socom AR last night. I'm healthy, retirement is great and I'm happier than I've ever been!

I thank God for giving me this happy time at the sunset of my life!

Flash

 

[FireInTheWire]

Today is a big day for me! On May 16, 1981, I used my last alcohol and other substance. 37 years clean and sober! It has not been easy, but the 12 step programs worked for me. Never "slipped" and the desire to do those things and live the life that goes with them were lifted off of my back.

The Higher Power did it all. I didn't have enough sense to do it alone and I'm very grateful! God willing, I'll make another year...........One day at a time!

Flash

I have a brother in the same boat. Good dude... but the sauce makes him crazy. He was an RN. Good job.. Good life.. After his 4th DUI and crashing his car and getting in a fight with local PD. He wen't to prison. The family did all we could to get him out of there in 6months. He lost his RN license.

He's been sober for awhile now. He married himself a good woman and she helps him stay straight. He came out to visit awhile ago. We we're up late catching up on life. During the deep conversation... he told me the thing that scares him the most about life is slipping and taking another drink. It was quite profound to me because I didn't understand the "alcoholic". So I spent the next couple of days listening to AA meetings on youtube, trying to understand what he was going through. People don't understand the "alcoholic" and they use the term loosely. Alcoholics CAN NOT drink and if they do... they sacrifice everything they have in life for it.

Can't tell you enough how proud and the respect I have of him. I have the upmost respect for ANYONE that can recognize and admit their vises and the fight they put up everyday to stay sober.

Congratulations Roger4314. Keep up the good fight man!

 

[ROGER4314]

Human Beings aren't geared for absolutes like NEVER. Most people have yes, no and maybe as options but program people must deal with "I can NEVER do that again!"

You don't just quit using chemical substances. Your complete lifestyle, attitude, relationship with other people and with a Higher Power must change. It's not an easy path to walk!

Flash

 

[atticus finch]

Today is a big day for me! On May 16, 1981, I used my last alcohol and other substance. 37 years clean and sober! It has not been easy, but the 12 step programs worked for me. Never "slipped" and the desire to do those things and live the life that goes with them were lifted off of my back.

The Higher Power did it all. I didn't have enough sense to do it alone and I'm very grateful! God willing, I'll make another year...........One day at a time!

Flash

Keep coming back.

 

[atticus finch]

Congratulations on you stamina and resolve!

Personal stamina has nothing to do with sobriety.
Personal resolve very little to do with sobriety, only where an individual has to make a decision in regards to getting sober, and deciding to stay sober no matter what.
This is not a criticism of your comment, only to clarify things a bit. as I understand your comment was well intentioned.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

I'm confused how "resolve" has very little to do with it?

 

[Charlie]

Personal stamina has nothing to do with sobriety.
Personal resolve very little to do with sobriety, only where an individual has to make a decision in regards to getting sober, and deciding to stay sober no matter what.
This is not a criticism of your comment, only to clarify things a bit. as I understand your comment was well intentioned.

Thanks, but I disagree.
stamina Definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/stamina
stamina meaning: the physical or mental strength to do something for a long time, esp. something difficult:
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/resolve
Definition of resolve - settle or find a solution to (a problem or contentious matter), decide firmly on a course of action, separate or cause to be separate.

I congratulate Roger and wish him the best. My 62 yr. old "little" brother is going on over 10 yrs. of sobriety. I'm somewhat familiar with the issue.

 

[ROGER4314]

Personal stamina has nothing to do with sobriety.
Personal resolve very little to do with sobriety, only where an individual has to make a decision in regards to getting sober, and deciding to stay sober no matter what.
This is not a criticism of your comment, only to clarify things a bit. as I understand your comment was well intentioned.

There's a lot of truth here. I always attribute the clean living to my Higher Power as I was pretty dumb when it came to keeping free of harmful things.

I was a wild child who had no "off" button, no positive role models or any concept of what a normal life could be. Problem solving was done with fists and feet. Several courses taught how to resolve conflict. Wow...... there are ways to settle conflict without hitting!

The choice to work a program was easy. My life hit the ditch so badly that I wasn't willing to live one more day the way it was. I was going to change or die and didn't give a damn which way that it went!

What saved my asx, was the Gypsy lifestyle. Moving often, got my sorry butt away from hurtful people who wanted to guide me back into the "life." Coming to a new town, the "alarm bells" went off when a bad influence came to tempt or misguide and I simply turned around to leave.

My neighbor is a hard core drunk who has lots of parties where folks get hammered. I usually stayed until they got revved up, then went home, sober. One day, it occurred to me that I enjoying the drunken hijinks entirely too much and it was time to get the Hell away from it! That's how the alarm bells worked for me.

I carry an AA "chip" with me every day and just replaced the 36 year chip with a 37 year chip just a few minutes ago. I can't get cocky about sobriety or forget where I came from. The Higher Power gets all of the credit!

Flash

 

[karlac]

Well done and congratulations!

 

[easy rider]

Just a few weeks away from 28 years myself, and I'm very sure I wouldn't be alive today had I not. I went to AA for several years to get where I am. The closest I came to a relapse since then was when my fiance was dying and after her death, but I came to the realization that drinking wouldn't help anything. I now know that if I can keep my resolve through what I went through, I can work through anything without turning to the bottle, and that makes me feel good.

Congratulations Roger!

 

[FireInTheWire]

Just a few weeks away from 28 years myself, and I'm very sure I wouldn't be alive today had I not. I went to AA for several years to get where I am. The closest I came to a relapse since then was when my fiance was dying and after her death, but I came to the realization that drinking wouldn't help anything. I now know that if I can keep my resolve through what I went through, I can work through anything without turning to the bottle, and that makes me feel good.

Congratulations Roger!

Sorry for your loss.

 

[easy rider]

Sorry for your loss.

Thank you. That happened in 2009 and although I was pretty messed up for a couple years after that, I've moved on.

 

[mroper]

congrats Flash .