I like what you said here because I knew a woman once who would declare that we had to be careful what we say at meetings because we don’t have the right to kill another alcoholic.

I think one of the signs of “recovery” is the realization that we are not as powerful as we think we are. If someone at my group told the story of how he had a beer after 8 years, it would frighten me. I would also pity him. But all of that is my shit, not his. Which, if you are working the program, is a critical insight of separating someone else’s issue from my issues.

So your confession frightens me. Which means I need to look at myself. I’ve only been sober for 10,549 days, so I don’t think I could have a beer and then stop. Maybe the first time I did it. But I think it would lead to another event, and another, and another.

Loved this essay. It’s great to read things that make me think.