An old timer once told me that he thought recovery was like going up a razor back ridge with complacency to one side and self-pity on the other. Complacency could be seen as a combination of over-confidence and laziness. Many seem to come to AA with no confidence in their ability to stay sober, willing to do anything, but then they think they have it made and stop doing much of anything once the compulsion to drink leaves. Alcoholism is a strange disease that tells people they don't have it, and, when they are able to deny that and accept that they have it, it tells them they are cured. I think the main reason I am still here after 34 years is that there has never come a time when I thought I no longer needed AA and could do it on my own. There is a mix of things I need to keep doing to remain sober, happy and content. I don't think there is much chance that I would drink again as long as I keep doing those things to maintain my sanity and sobriety, but it is likely that sobriety would eventually get so rotten that a drink would start to seem like a good idea if I didn't keep doing those things. Maintaining sobriety is a good habit that is easy to maintain, and even quite enjoyable. Resting on laurels, which aren't really very comfortable to rest on, could become a bad habit that is hard to break. I tend to think that the greatest danger in a slip is that I could lose our only requirement for membership, a desire to stop drinking, and be unable to get it back. I wouldn't want to take any chances on that. |