- Sep 17, 2004
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I am so grateful for AA and the 12 Steps. I am home, nursing a bad wound, , having been hospitalized for two weeks in January. When I was in rehab a little more than two years ago, I wisely completed the first three steps. I basically took Step 3 when my counselor was preparing to request more time inpatient. I really did not want to stay there any longer, and really tried to change him mind. But, each morning, I met for devotions with another believer, and I made a conscious decision to turn that part over to God. When I saw my counselor, he told me he was shocked that my insurance was willing to give me another full week. I then did Step 3. What I learned during the following week broke through an arrogance I did not realize I had.
Prior to my hospitalization and treatment, I heard a wise old timer share that while AA meetings, reading literature, calling my sponsor, and talking to other alcoholics were all good stuff, they are not the program of Alcoholics Anonymous. The programs of recovery is the 12 steps of AA. I truly did not get that at first. When people would encourage me to work my program, I honestly thought they were talking about phone calls and ,meeting attendance. I had been in AA for 21 years, and I did not get the Truth till right before rehab.
Then, while in rehab, I started to learn things that I may have heard said, before, but it had not gotten through my thick skull. I learned that I could learn from young people, and people who had less time in AA before. I realized that I had not fully worked all 12 Steps. Nor, had I ever done them under the supervision of my sponsor before.
So, since rehab, a little over 2 years ago, I have been released from the obsession to drink. Praise God.
The reason I am so grateful is that I was in the hospital for cellulitis and surgery, and I never once felt sorry for myself, no did I was to abuse my narcotic medication.
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