"catsruleok" <catsruleok@bigfoot.com> wrote in message
news:bf9vmu$l5e$1@newsg2.svr.pol.co.uk...
> I apologise:
>
> - for having managed to stay off booze for the past few weeks without
having attended AA meetings;
>

(HARDY LAUGH)...... Whatever works for you, darlin'.



> - for the fact that my success appears to greatly irritate you, and
finally
>
> - for deciding to stick around and therefore to continue to further
irritate you.
>

If I am irritated then the one with a problem is me! If something is
bothering me, then I am the person who needs to do something about it. One
of the nice things about being sober is that no one else gets to control how
I feel anymore. (Are you Catholic? -- 'cause that whole guilt trip seems to
be working again).


> Now, I'm thanking you for your robust questioning of and comments on
things I have said. I am happy
> to admit that you, as well as others here, are: making me question my
beliefs; opening my eyes and
> ears to many new ideas; and furthering my understanding of how alcoholism
can be successfully
> overcome. I'm very grateful for all these things. If me telling you that I
consider you to be a good
> influence on me makes you happy, then I , too, shall be happy.

I believe part of "carrying the message" is to be HARD - Honest,
Appropriate, Respectful and Direct. Sometimes that means letting somebody
know when their "logic" or "rationalization" is bit off-kilter -- And it
goes both ways. Sometimes we're all full of crap. That just comes with the
territory.

>
> I hope you will continue to take an interest in my efforts to stay off
booze.
>

If you're staying sober more power to ya'. If you're feeding us crap and
getting in a drunk or two every now and then, well..., that's okay too.
Most of us are here to keep ourselves sober -- reaching out to others is
just one way to do it. Reaching out does not always mean polite or
comforting. For most of us, when we got here, if someone had patted our
heads the whole time, told us what good little alcoholics we were and told
us not to listen to the mean old man, we would likely still be out there
destroying somebody else's life.

Keep coming to meetings, even if this is the only one -- and don't drink
between meals. The rest will come - "sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly,
but it will always materialize if we work for it!"



Bobby L

> I believe part of "carrying the message" is to be HARD - Honest,
> Appropriate, Respectful and Direct.

HARD with one's self!
i like that!