amazingalcoholic

NEW TO THIS BLOG? I strongly recommend that you read these posts in the order that they were written. You can do this by clicking the posts tab (right above Michael’s beautiful face) and scrolling down to the very bottom and reading from the bottom up.

When Michael died, I promised him that I would tell his story to the beginners at AA (Alcoholics Anonymous). Little did I know that unless I am an alcoholic, I cannot do that. You see at AA there is a policy only the alcoholic can tell their story.  It’s part of what makes AA work for those in the program.  I made a promise that I can’t keep. I never make promises that I can’t keep. Just ask my kids.  I’m very careful about how I phrase things so that they know, if I promised…I promised.

Although he was already dead at the time I made the promise, the promise is still just that…A Promise.  Maybe I made this promise too quickly.  Maybe it was my higher power showing me that going to a beginners meeting and telling Michael’s story wouldn’t be enough.  You see, I’m not an alcoholic, but I was a regular at several meetings in CT.  I got to step 3 in my own journey of healing.  But in Step 2 is where I “Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity”.  So, if my higher power wants me to find another way to tell Michael’s story, so be it.

So what to do when the impossible must become possible. My hope is by telling his story to the general public, the message will reach those beginning their journey of recovery. Maybe it will even reach some folks in need of beginning recovery. Who knows, it just might help someone who has tried and failed so many times they are ready to give up.  Maybe, just maybe, one person will go seek help after reading my story. I may never know. And that’s ok. I’m keeping my promise.