1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,920 I'm Debbie and I'm an alcoholic. Hello and happy birthday Lori and thanks for your share. Good 2 00:00:07,920 --> 00:00:14,160 share. I'm so Debbie I'm an alcoholic and I live in Prosper, Texas and my sobriety date is January 3 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:19,680 26th of 98 and I tell you that because I didn't bother getting the sobriety date when I came in 4 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:24,560 and also it's a custom here in Texas. They did it and I thought they were very arrogant for years 5 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:31,600 and now I do it it rolls out but I had tried to get into this sobriety and program early 80s and 6 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:37,920 I just could never get any traction. I you know my doing not the programs and so when I had to come 7 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:46,400 to AA again in 98 I just came for a while to hang out with y'all. I wasn't an alcoholic didn't plan 8 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:52,240 on staying. I just needed to stop drinking for a while and you guys were a large group of people 9 00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:57,680 not drinking so I was going to come out come in and hang out with you okay and it was probably 10 00:00:57,680 --> 00:01:02,640 right at six months one of the gals goes because I never got a chip either I was trying to draw 11 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:08,080 no attention I wore stringy hair in front of my face and a big puffy coat and I you know just came 12 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:12,400 into the meetings and she's like you've been here for a while you know how long have you been sober 13 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:17,920 and I'm like I don't have any idea well when's the last time you drank I'm like Super Bowl Sunday so 14 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:23,120 we figured out when that was because that was like right before Google so we had to actually kind of 15 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:29,120 dig and investigate and so the day after is my sobriety day and that little group there they 16 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:34,880 brought me a half a cake because it was my half year anniversary and a card and it just astounded 17 00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:39,760 me that anybody cared that I was sober and that they had noticed that I'd been coming to that 18 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:44,240 group I had you know I'm trying to hide I'm trying to be invisible I'm just trying to do this 19 00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:50,400 and that's kind of when I really kind of joined the program you know I'll start at the beginning 20 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:56,320 of my story I was born in Kansas I'm an only child I'm an only granddaughter and I'm the first 21 00:01:56,320 --> 00:02:00,880 granddaughter on the other side so I was just spoiled rotten and all my grandparents live in 22 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:06,800 the same little town as me and I've got great aunts they live to be like 98 and they're twins 23 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:12,400 Vera and Virgie you know everybody in this little town of 10,000 people pretty much knew one side of 24 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:18,000 the family or something and so I just grew up and you know I thought I was special you know I was 25 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:24,800 a happy child I was you know loved adored we went camping I had a dog you know I played with barbies 26 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:30,320 I mean it was really normal had a bike you know played and you know I actually was thinking about 27 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:37,600 talking today and I'm pretty sure I finally nailed my first drink you know and it was we'd went up to 28 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:44,560 Illinois to a cousin's wedding and I was going to be the flower girl I was about 13 and the husband 29 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:50,480 or the husband-to-be was working that night and so her and I were supposed to be doing ride things 30 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:55,360 or something or rather but we went got drunk and we're riding around because I'm a kid right and I 31 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:59,680 remember we had to keep going to the liquor store and it was a drive-through liquor store which is 32 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:05,600 like what is what a famous idea you know too drunk to walk drive through but so we had to keep 33 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:11,520 replenishing it way back then you know and I I can remember us picking him up from work and I'm drunk 34 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:17,600 in the back seat prone still talking you know it's hard to shut me up nowadays but I'm pretty sure 35 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:23,680 that was my first drunk you know and so when it came to high school drinking I you know I jumped 36 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:29,440 in with both feet you know it seemed fun it seemed like what the cool kids were doing I wasn't real 37 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:34,880 sure how to be cool I was just trying to kind of fit in and have fun and you know it didn't seem 38 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:39,760 seemed very harmless and I just assumed that I would grow out of this you know my parent my 39 00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:44,800 grandparents have been married 78 years when they passed my parents are working on 62 years 40 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:49,600 I mean I just figured I would get married and live happily ever after I didn't know there was really 41 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:54,800 much much else going on um I've been married what I've heard people say is that I can say several 42 00:03:54,800 --> 00:04:01,280 times because it's over four so I'll just go several times okay and um and I had no idea what 43 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:07,040 ended in divorce it wasn't my plan I mean it was a big wedding four people on each side you know 44 00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:13,840 big flower girls I mean the whole it didn't last six months you know and I um found another boy 45 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:21,360 and I ran off with him while I had family visiting me and my new husband right and um I left him to 46 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:26,560 take care of them I don't know that I ever went home I'm not the early 80s are pretty much a blur 47 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:33,440 but um that that is the selfish self-centeredness that I ended up being where I thought I was loved 48 00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:40,400 safe protected in a family you know and within just months I'd changed you know and I'm now um 49 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:45,920 I moved to the big city you guys will laugh it's Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma and I just thought I could 50 00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:50,240 get lost down there because there were so many people and I would just be able to go down there 51 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:56,080 and do whatever I want and nobody would find out I'd never get caught um just my big plan right 52 00:04:56,080 --> 00:05:01,280 and when when I grow up you know 20 something but when I grow up I'll just grow out of this 53 00:05:01,280 --> 00:05:07,040 and then I'll get back to this little white picket fence pork swing kind of lifestyle I mean that was 54 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:12,480 that was what I really expected to happen um but at that point the um the car crashes and the 55 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:18,480 DUIs and you know in and out of jails and and then I I started going in and out of treatment centers 56 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:22,880 these treatment centers were not the insurance paid ten thousand dollar big book kind of thing 57 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:28,640 um they were um how whatever your family could donate it was the type of treatment center that 58 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:36,480 you would um plastic it was it was kind of rough and um plastic mattresses and um when you went in 59 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:40,240 they would put you in the shower and spray you down with quill so that you wouldn't bring any 60 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:46,160 more bugs into the house you know you had to sit there and and my attitude they left me in the 61 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:51,600 shower with that burning quill on me quite a while because because I'm an asshole you know and um you 62 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:55,840 know I'm the type that shows up to the treatment center and I don't have anything I'm homeless 63 00:05:55,840 --> 00:06:00,640 carless jobless and they tell me to go down the hall and pick out clothes that might fit you know 64 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:07,120 and that's how that's that's me managing my life okay and none of that really scared me I mean it 65 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:15,840 was uncomfortable um you know some violence some you know bad situations and um and that is the 66 00:06:15,840 --> 00:06:21,360 early 80s and I was in treatment for about nine months and I've written my mom letters and she 67 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:26,880 has some of those letters and I can tell I had that spiritual experience that little awakening 68 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:32,480 I mean you can see it in my words you know and and I had something and I got out of treatment 69 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:38,320 I actually graduated finally I completed something right I've never completed anything in my life and 70 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:45,360 I completed and I got this little reward coin for completing and my plan was to go back to Tulsa 71 00:06:45,360 --> 00:06:51,760 live in this halfway house and stay sober and you know get a job get a car you know and be a 72 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:57,520 real person you know kind of what I expect I think people expect of me that's my plan that's what I 73 00:06:57,520 --> 00:07:02,880 want to do and within a week or two you know I'm bringing boys home that I'm not supposed to be 74 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:08,400 having them in my room I'm drinking I'm sneaking I'm you know and I'm kicked out of the house now 75 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:13,760 and I'm back on the streets doing what I do and and I say that is because I had something I had 76 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:19,040 something something changed in my heart but I didn't continue growing it I didn't continue 77 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:25,440 that spiritual awakening I didn't continue practicing principles to enlarge that spiritual 78 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:33,360 life okay and I tried for several years well maybe two in and out of the program you know come to the 79 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:38,240 and I'd go to different groups around town and I'd have different sobriety dates at different groups 80 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:43,680 I'd write them in my big book and then you know after you scratch so many out it's like toss it out 81 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:50,240 the window get you another book you know it got disgusting to try to do this program I'd go to one 82 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:56,400 of the big groups in Tulsa and from Joe and Charlie the second Joe that was his home group I mean it 83 00:07:56,400 --> 00:08:02,320 was a good home group I mean it's a solid three legacy group you know they practice all the steps 84 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:07,520 traditions concepts and I couldn't get sober there they would meet in the big room and then tell 85 00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:13,440 everybody to go to the the smaller rooms the breakout rooms for different meetings I never 86 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:18,640 could decide where I fit you know I would get so frustrated because I wasn't sure where the cool 87 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:23,280 people were supposed to go and where I should go and I'd end up leaving I wouldn't even stay for 88 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:29,600 the meeting because I couldn't figure it out you know I never ask anyone you know nothing like that 89 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:37,600 I just left you know and so that was my taste of me trying to do AA on my own you know it's I tried 90 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:43,040 to do a force well I did a four step I don't poor lady just listened to me ramble you know about how 91 00:08:43,040 --> 00:08:49,440 horrible everybody was to me um and so I thought I had worked AA you know and I'd hear people say 92 00:08:49,440 --> 00:08:54,560 well pray in the morning you won't drink my god I can I can get down on my knees that day and pray 93 00:08:54,560 --> 00:08:59,040 that I won't drink and I'm out drunk and I don't want to be drunk and I'm drunk I'm in the bar 94 00:08:59,040 --> 00:09:05,520 again I'm running the deal I'm doing my I'm doing what I do um so that was like 81 I know I was in 95 00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:12,000 treatment in 81 because we got out of out of class one day to watch princess Diana get married and if 96 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:18,160 you look it up that was in 81 so I know 81 I was in treatment okay so and then I am um married a 97 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:23,920 couple more times a lot of just it's just a big tangle all of that and near the end I had been 98 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:30,560 married a couple more times and I was fired from a beer only job where it was so easy I mean we 99 00:09:30,560 --> 00:09:36,480 flew kites in the back parking lot I mean this is you know maybe five customers it's an easy job 100 00:09:36,480 --> 00:09:42,400 I got fired from there I mean all I have to do is you know show up you know and I can't handle that 101 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:48,240 and I am I can't figure out what to do now you know I tried to enroll in school that didn't work 102 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:52,320 I took the money got an apartment now I don't have any more money because I drink my money 103 00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:57,760 I drink my tip money I can't ever get I can't ever get enough up to for the rent and um I did 104 00:09:57,760 --> 00:10:05,280 look this up too and in 1980 93 there's a huge tornado that came through Tulsa tore up a couple 105 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:10,880 truck stops and I um I actually had a little shoeshine booth out at one of those truck stops 106 00:10:10,880 --> 00:10:16,160 and one of the tornadoes came within a quarter mile of the apartment I was living in and I stood 107 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:21,280 outside on the balcony and just watched it you know you can hear it you can hear the braking you 108 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:26,160 can hear the trees popping I don't want to hide you know please take me I don't know how to do 109 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:31,760 this I don't know how to get out of life but I don't know how to stay in life right and that's um 110 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:38,160 93 and my spreading dates 98 so after that and I'm still here you know everybody's down in the 111 00:10:38,160 --> 00:10:43,360 parking lot and you can still hear the panes of glass breaking you know that are loose and falling 112 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:48,800 and I just go go get my bottle and lay back down in my bed well actually I had my bed kind of tipped 113 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:53,920 up and I was hiding in it I live alone and I'm hiding in my my little apartment um but it's like 114 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:59,440 I can't even do this right you know so I um I got out of that I made a geographic I found another guy 115 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:04,880 that I had known and moved to Kansas City okay and that is going to be my cure he doesn't really 116 00:11:04,880 --> 00:11:10,640 drink and he doesn't mind if I drink and he drives all the time so I'm okay I'm not driving now so 117 00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:15,200 that should solve a big problem I have somebody that doesn't care about the way I drink they'll 118 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:20,240 take care of me they love me you know I'm okay right problem solved got it I move up there and 119 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:25,760 I'm terribly unhappy I get a little job um actually he gets me the job and you know I'm 120 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:31,360 living I'm staying in the basement part of this house that is not finished and that's where I 121 00:11:31,360 --> 00:11:37,440 drink all night I drink down there all by myself you know um there's a nice little house up top 122 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:44,320 but I'm staying in this wet dank basement and that's where I drink um ended up being in a big 123 00:11:44,320 --> 00:11:52,000 um so that I'm not sure about those five years okay but 97 in 97 my boss that I worked for he's 124 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:57,520 like Deb you need insurance I'm like that'd be great so he got me this little insurance policy 125 00:11:57,520 --> 00:12:02,320 this is the first time I've had insurance since I'd left home I haven't been I had an appendicitis 126 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:07,840 one time but I haven't been to the doctor I mean I don't do those things so um he got me insurance 127 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:13,200 okay and about a month later the guy that drives all the time we've been out at a big party and 128 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:19,040 it's about 4 a.m and we're coming home and another drunk driver comes on the wrong way on a big 129 00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:24,720 highway four lanes overpass and none of the cars can get out of the way so we hit them head on and 130 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:31,760 my my driver was um knocked out passed out in my lap and I'm I have a scar from like here to here 131 00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:37,520 healed up really nice but um I'm in that car and I can't get out because you know when the firemen 132 00:12:37,520 --> 00:12:44,320 come you know I'm flirting with the fireman I've got the guy passed out conked out in my lap 133 00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:50,400 I'm bleeding you know bleeding from and I'm flirting you know it's just I I have no sense 134 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:57,040 of reality okay so but that wreck garnished me a whole bunch of money just because I was hurt you 135 00:12:57,040 --> 00:13:03,040 know and anyway I got you know six figures more money than this girl had ever had okay so now I 136 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:09,200 have insurance and I have the money so I move away from the him I buy a little house get a little dog 137 00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:14,160 I put a big eight foot stockade fence around it so that I can do whatever I want in the backyard 138 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:20,080 I I've arrived I have everything okay it should all work now you know but I'm I'm now I'm having 139 00:13:20,080 --> 00:13:25,200 to go to the bar to find somebody to be happy with because I'm not happy by myself I'm not complete by 140 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:30,880 myself I have nothing you know um my mom would send me these little Norman Vincent Peale things 141 00:13:30,880 --> 00:13:36,240 positive thinking things and it's like that sounds really great and that I can be happy 142 00:13:36,240 --> 00:13:42,720 I can't stay there I can't stay you know I can't ever get there um so my drinking is come it's um 143 00:13:42,720 --> 00:13:48,240 people are trying to take me home now to keep me from driving because I'm too drunk and um you know 144 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:52,400 I end up going to the doctor because I had something on my ear they did some blood work 145 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:58,000 and they told me I had hepatitis c okay and those words I could not say back then okay they told me 146 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:02,960 that in October and I couldn't say them until January I feel like that was the most horrible 147 00:14:02,960 --> 00:14:09,040 nasty thing that could have ever happened to me that's what hit me okay um I felt like I was 148 00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:13,360 contagious dirty and that if I did sleep with somebody else I'd give them this disease and then 149 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:17,680 they'd come back and kill me so it wasn't any noble cause I was trying not to spread it I just 150 00:14:17,680 --> 00:14:22,720 felt I felt completely repulsive you know and this is somebody that's worked you know I've on the 151 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:28,960 barter system all my life to get my you know my home my my drugs my drinks my whatever I need my 152 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:35,040 clothes and now that's gone I'm now hopeless I'm now helpless I can't do anything else and for me 153 00:14:35,040 --> 00:14:41,280 that's what what did it and I'd just gotten that insurance you know so I I have a doctor and the 154 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:45,840 doctor sent me to a specialist and I went to the specialist and I can't say these words and that 155 00:14:45,840 --> 00:14:50,400 doctor said the nurse says you know why are you here and I said well that other doctor sent me 156 00:14:50,400 --> 00:14:55,360 and she's like well no I understand that but why are you here so I burst out into tears and I ran 157 00:14:55,360 --> 00:15:02,160 out of the room and ran home so um I couldn't say it I could not say that you know and the um this 158 00:15:02,160 --> 00:15:08,240 doctor I mean he's a specialist he's the one that's got the good stuff for the eight hepatitis C 159 00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:15,280 in 97 you know he's the guy calls me at home that night you know some tramp drunk he takes the time 160 00:15:15,280 --> 00:15:21,040 out of his day to call and go would you please come back okay and so I go in and I get back in 161 00:15:21,040 --> 00:15:25,600 the room you know when the nurse says okay he'll be in here in a minute and she lays the chart down 162 00:15:25,600 --> 00:15:31,040 and I you know being the nosy person I open it up to see what they're saying about me right and in 163 00:15:31,040 --> 00:15:36,640 big red letters it says do not ask patient why she's here so but that doctor he told me that I 164 00:15:36,640 --> 00:15:42,000 would have to stop drinking in order to get on these experimental drugs and I can still be in 165 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:47,520 that office today with those long skinny blinds and looking outside at that park area and I told 166 00:15:47,520 --> 00:15:52,720 him I can't it was the first time I'd admitted to him or to myself that I could not actually stop 167 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:57,760 and he's and he put his hand on my shoulder he's like yeah you can and he sent me to a psychologist 168 00:15:57,760 --> 00:16:02,400 and she talked to me and remember the long stringy hair with a big puffy coat and she wouldn't even 169 00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:06,640 turn on the lights for me it was a very dark room and I could just kind of barely talk to her 170 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:11,360 and she sent me to church and I went to church and they told me to come to a singles barbecue 171 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:15,760 afterwards and I'm scared because I sleep with everybody I meet I can't go to that now I can't 172 00:16:15,760 --> 00:16:21,360 go back to church either you know I go back church is not for me and she's like you know what I know 173 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:27,040 you're not an alcoholic why don't you go to AA it's this large group of people that are not drinking 174 00:16:27,040 --> 00:16:33,280 and you're trying not to drink too aren't you yeah that's what I'm trying to do you know and and I 175 00:16:33,280 --> 00:16:38,400 went and I didn't ask for anything I didn't tell you I was new you probably knew because I've you 176 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:44,560 know have a big ugly coat that has a big bleach spot on it and um you know but I came and I just 177 00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:49,680 quit smoking too actually I was so sick I couldn't hardly drink anything but water if it wasn't too 178 00:16:49,680 --> 00:16:55,120 cold and I would nibble on a baked potato I just bake it in the microwave and just nibble on it 179 00:16:55,120 --> 00:17:00,800 that that's what I was doing and I quit smoking because it was making me sick and I go to this 180 00:17:00,800 --> 00:17:06,560 big room okay big for Tulsa or for Kansas City there's maybe 80 to 100 people in there and the 181 00:17:06,560 --> 00:17:11,920 tables are all set up in a big circle and they said okay and everybody that's a non-smoker go 182 00:17:11,920 --> 00:17:17,440 in there it was this little bitty room with old men that carry their books you know and these 183 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:21,920 old people and all the fun people out there laughing and playing you know they were all 184 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:27,040 out there I had just quit smoking I have to go in that other stupid room you know I'm I'm appalled 185 00:17:27,040 --> 00:17:32,560 and I I go okay this is a person that you take away lose my driver's license not a problem I have 186 00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:38,000 to not have a car to not drive it doesn't occur to me not to drive I mean I'm defiant and now 187 00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:42,960 I actually walk into this other room and that's where I sat my um I couldn't hardly introduce 188 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:49,120 myself they worked me up they they made a little card for me that says I'm Debbie I'm an alcoholic 189 00:17:49,120 --> 00:17:53,360 I'm grateful to be here and I pass and then I would hold my breath to make sure that they would 190 00:17:53,360 --> 00:18:00,400 pass and not call say anything else to me and they would move on I mean just total fear sweaty palms 191 00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:05,520 you know horrible and now listen to me chat y'all are gonna have to tie me and shut me up right but 192 00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:10,880 um that's who came in you know I couldn't talk I couldn't um I didn't catch on to the meetings 193 00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:15,760 you know on like Tuesday nights a big book study every Tuesday night and this guy chairs every 194 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:21,680 Tuesday night you know Thursday nights it's 12 and 12 study I had it took me several months to 195 00:18:21,680 --> 00:18:27,280 realize what book to take because it was Tuesday night it was a big book study I couldn't tie those 196 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:31,920 things together um I didn't know the Lord's Prayer when I came in and they say it up there you know 197 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:35,600 that's what they closed the meeting with and they're like you know who wants to take us out 198 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:40,480 and they all say some kind of crappy little start I don't know what I'm supposed to say I don't even 199 00:18:40,480 --> 00:18:45,760 know this prayer that you want me to ask it's like oh god don't call on me don't call on me right and 200 00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:51,760 so they um I couldn't hardly read the big book my sponsor had me read step one out of the 12 and 12 201 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:56,240 every night which I thought was just unreal I don't know if you guys have seen it it's almost 202 00:18:56,240 --> 00:19:02,240 three pages every night they want me to try to read this I mean I could hardly read right so 203 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:06,880 she wrote down the third step prayer and a note card for me and I was to get on my knees at night 204 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:12,080 say my little prayer say thanks for the day and then in the morning get on my knees and say please 205 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:18,560 right I live alone with a one-eyed blind dog her name was muffin she was very cute and um I am 206 00:19:18,560 --> 00:19:25,120 embarrassed to get on my knees okay I get down on my knees my fingernails are in my my palms because 207 00:19:25,120 --> 00:19:30,960 I am so pissed off that I am having to do this it is so embarrassing so beneath me I don't even 208 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:36,480 know about this god thing and I go read my little card and I stare up at the corners of the ceiling 209 00:19:36,480 --> 00:19:42,320 nothing nothing was there this is so embarrassing right you guys are just making a fool of me making 210 00:19:42,320 --> 00:19:47,280 me get down here and nothing's happening nothing you know I'd wake up in the morning and I we had 211 00:19:47,280 --> 00:19:52,880 little alarm clocks that had red digits on them and I'd look over at the little red digits and 212 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:58,720 it'd say 449 and then the third edition that acceptance page is which was always talked about 213 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:04,720 was on page 449 and I'd look over at that clock and I'd go cute god so the very same thing I 214 00:20:04,720 --> 00:20:10,480 couldn't find at night I'm chatting with in the morning I mean it's just those little things I 215 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:16,480 believe something was doing that you know um I was scared to not pray because finally it was kind of 216 00:20:16,480 --> 00:20:21,280 working I wasn't drinking I wasn't obsessed I mean I took a different route home so I didn't go past 217 00:20:21,280 --> 00:20:26,160 the bars that I usually stop at I would drive past my sponsor's house so that my heart would 218 00:20:26,160 --> 00:20:32,640 go a little bit slower and then I would go sit at the clubhouse the clubhouse parking lot until the 219 00:20:32,640 --> 00:20:38,880 meeting opened because I didn't know what to do I had no how but no hobbies no I didn't do anything 220 00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:44,800 I drank you know neon light here I come um and so I had to retrain all of that I had a little 221 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:50,160 posting note on my dashboard that said ptl for patience tolerance and love because I am 222 00:20:50,160 --> 00:20:55,280 such a tangle of knots that even if if the light turns red and you didn't speed on through I'm 223 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:59,120 pissed if the light turns green and you're not going yet I'm pissed I mean I just want to ram 224 00:20:59,120 --> 00:21:05,440 you because I am so angry I had I'm I've got no buffer right so I had ptl patience tolerance and 225 00:21:05,440 --> 00:21:11,200 love patience tolerance and love and that's how I go to the clubhouse right I mean fingernails just 226 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:16,800 oh anger and um somebody got in my car one day and they were like ptl oh praise the lord I'm like oh 227 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:24,560 no no you know not that um but one of those days I I realized that I'm not driving home with my 228 00:21:24,560 --> 00:21:31,920 fingernails clenched I'm not just you know barely hanging on to get to the meeting um the the steps 229 00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:37,280 that I took I took that fourth step and I told rebecca she was one of those gals that when she 230 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:42,560 came in the club everybody go you know their voice goes up just a little bit because they're so happy 231 00:21:42,560 --> 00:21:47,680 to see her and I was like oh my gosh you know and so when I did my fourth step with her and she'd 232 00:21:47,680 --> 00:21:52,000 tell me other little things like yeah I came around from the bar and I kicked that guy in 233 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:57,280 the chin I'm like you were in a bar you know because she cleaned up so much the lady that 234 00:21:57,280 --> 00:22:04,320 came in no you couldn't see her anymore you know and that's what started to happen to me is that 235 00:22:04,320 --> 00:22:12,880 person that came in full of fear and anger and this isn't for me you know not believing this whole um 236 00:22:12,880 --> 00:22:17,760 god is you understanding I don't know much about god but I was pretty sure that isn't anything that 237 00:22:17,760 --> 00:22:21,600 I'd ever heard and I thought I'd probably the lightning bolts would come get us or something 238 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:27,280 but you know I'm I'm game my my thing ain't working so I'll try yours but thank goodness 239 00:22:27,280 --> 00:22:32,960 you didn't make me define my god you know and thank goodness that I don't have to like keep him 240 00:22:32,960 --> 00:22:38,880 in a little box once I get it you know this can grow it's that energy that source that connectedness 241 00:22:38,880 --> 00:22:45,040 that oneness that all of us can feel and um you know it's that heart that heart it touches my 242 00:22:45,040 --> 00:22:50,640 heart you know the um promises that they use night step promises they would read those at the end of 243 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:56,560 the meeting and people go and I thought they were so sad I thought it was really sad that people 244 00:22:56,560 --> 00:23:00,400 would actually hope for that I mean there's nothing tangible in them you know it doesn't 245 00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:04,400 say that my bank account's going to be full it doesn't say that my bills are going to go away 246 00:23:04,400 --> 00:23:10,400 it doesn't say that I'm going to have this cool groovy job it says you know um the release they'll 247 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:17,120 disappear you know the problems are removed that financial insecurity it just it's it's separated 248 00:23:17,120 --> 00:23:22,240 you know and it's not something that I work for but it's something that just happens you know 249 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:28,240 somewhere between the bedevilments on 52 and the promises up there on 83 ish somebody's had a 250 00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:33,920 transformation here because I'm no longer you know angry my my personal relationships are going a 251 00:23:33,920 --> 00:23:39,520 little bit smoother you know the um I'm getting responsible you know if I say I'm going to be 252 00:23:39,520 --> 00:23:45,120 there I'm actually there and I intend to be there it's not just say yeah I'll be there you know I 253 00:23:45,120 --> 00:23:50,880 will or I want who cares you know but but I that's a commitment you know and I and I keep those 254 00:23:50,880 --> 00:23:58,480 commitments the very best I can anymore um so I guess I'm finding up so my life in sobriety I 255 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:04,000 thought it would look like this I thought when I came in and I got sober and I got my first year 256 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:09,680 you know and I get to go give somebody or not give but see her get her one year chip tomorrow 257 00:24:09,680 --> 00:24:14,800 which will be so much fun she's actually in here um you know I didn't plan on staying you know and 258 00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:19,920 now it's this life that I wouldn't have dreamed that I would have wanted and I'm a person that I 259 00:24:19,920 --> 00:24:23,920 wouldn't have dreamed that I would have cared anything about knowing and I'm actually happier 260 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:28,160 than I've ever been it's like how the hell has that happened you know um you know I didn't have 261 00:24:28,160 --> 00:24:33,680 any kind of career thoughts I didn't have any of that kind of stuff in me I don't have that um I 262 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:39,200 had a friend that got me a job that ended up I'm good at I have a talent I didn't go to school you 263 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:44,800 know I graduated high school barely um but it ended up that I'm good at that stuff you know I 264 00:24:44,800 --> 00:24:51,280 can slice and dice the spreadsheet and analyze stuff and I they worked you know and um and I 265 00:24:51,280 --> 00:24:56,640 showed up and I continued to try to give you my best as part of those amends for all those employers 266 00:24:56,640 --> 00:25:03,120 I just kind of you know I sucked you know um you know I I try to give back you know in any 267 00:25:03,120 --> 00:25:08,560 situation that I'm in nowadays whether it's in my community in my neighborhood you know um I'm the 268 00:25:08,560 --> 00:25:12,800 person that they used to have to call the police on I would kick your windows out in the apartment 269 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:18,320 complex if you pissed me off you know and now my neighbor um has a three-year-old little boy his 270 00:25:18,320 --> 00:25:23,200 birthday's on the same day and I go watch him in the morning sometimes she's a nurse and he's a 271 00:25:23,200 --> 00:25:28,720 fireman emt you know and sometimes their shifts don't they overlap they trust me to go in their 272 00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:33,600 home and watch their child you know that is not the person that came here you know um you know 273 00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:39,920 and it's they say it's it it's a simple program but it's not easy you know and it says several 274 00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:45,920 times in there these are painstaking steps you know and vigorous action and strenuous 275 00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:53,920 I'm gonna have to try really hard to change what my natural normal way is and the more I do that 276 00:25:53,920 --> 00:26:00,320 the more often it's more smooth the relationships the contact that I have with other humans is more 277 00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:06,560 harmonious you know and when I do have that discomfort that disease you know in my heart 278 00:26:06,560 --> 00:26:11,680 it's what am I doing you know where is it that I'm trying to be self-seeking you know what am I 279 00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:15,760 trying to get out of this am I trying to get your perception to change with me am I trying to get 280 00:26:15,760 --> 00:26:23,120 you to think something more of me than what what I deserve you know um what am I trying to do because 281 00:26:23,120 --> 00:26:27,920 if it's you know that chalk on what is it fingernails on a chalkboard there's something 282 00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:32,640 going on in me you know otherwise I'd just be watching you be uncomfortable but if I'm 283 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:38,240 uncomfortable there's something in here you know um I'm not real good at doing a nightly inventory 284 00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:43,600 but I try to look at myself every day um I do it as rads just on the top of the paper for 285 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:49,600 because I thought it sounded cool you know I put r-a-d-s and that's for um resentful afraid 286 00:26:49,600 --> 00:26:56,080 dishonest and selfish I just try to look and see where was their uncomfortableness in my in my day 287 00:26:56,080 --> 00:27:02,720 in my environment in my um interactions with humans you know um and it's maybe it's not that I did 288 00:27:02,720 --> 00:27:06,320 anything wrong but what could I have done better you know what could I have done a little bit 289 00:27:06,320 --> 00:27:11,200 different how could I have been kind instead of came in with more of a defense you know because 290 00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:15,840 I know you're getting ready to get after me so I'll just come in just a little bit harder so I'm 291 00:27:15,840 --> 00:27:21,760 ready to take it why can't I come in soft you know if I've um if I've gotten right with my higher 292 00:27:21,760 --> 00:27:27,360 power and I know I'm doing my best to do what I believe he would have me do today you can say 293 00:27:27,360 --> 00:27:33,360 whatever you would like to about me I can consider it and I can listen but it doesn't make me that 294 00:27:33,360 --> 00:27:39,680 person it doesn't make me that that thought and that is such a huge thing from a person that came 295 00:27:39,680 --> 00:27:44,400 in with no opinion whatsoever you know one of the counselors said that's your opinion I'm like oh my 296 00:27:44,400 --> 00:27:49,840 god I got an opinion I was so excited to have my first opinion but um you know it's you know I live 297 00:27:49,840 --> 00:27:56,800 in a house now that has everything that is in it has some kind of attachment to heart in it you know 298 00:27:56,800 --> 00:28:02,720 it's um you know I've got words above all my windows that say you know believe serenity harmony 299 00:28:02,720 --> 00:28:08,400 gratitude you know it's I still want those reminders just like that first posting note on my 300 00:28:08,400 --> 00:28:14,080 little my truck you know I still need those reminders that I don't have to be kind I don't 301 00:28:14,080 --> 00:28:19,760 need to protect anything you know um you know I've done a lot of my amends I had to do and I'll talk 302 00:28:19,760 --> 00:28:24,640 about this for just a second I had to make amends to somebody that had done something to me when I 303 00:28:24,640 --> 00:28:30,800 was a child and it was because of the way I had used the character assassination with them so much 304 00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:36,320 and and this is for everybody that has to do this in all these situations it's not a you do this 305 00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:41,040 that it's a prayer and discussion and guidance through sponsorship and and somebody else that's 306 00:28:41,040 --> 00:28:46,000 worked through it but I was able to go to that person and say and tell them that you know I made 307 00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:52,160 it bigger than and longer than it was and it was crueler and then like he had brought his new wife 308 00:28:52,160 --> 00:28:59,440 back to the family for Christmas and I was cruel to that woman I tormented her I booby trapped her 309 00:28:59,440 --> 00:29:03,680 little stuff you know I was mean and I let and they've since divorced but I let him know that 310 00:29:03,680 --> 00:29:09,280 I was sorry that I did that and I didn't provide a welcoming environment thank you and um and he 311 00:29:09,280 --> 00:29:15,440 broke down crying he had felt like my alcoholism and my lifestyle and everything that I had done 312 00:29:15,440 --> 00:29:22,080 was his fault you know and um and that relationship was able to heal you know so that when I go into 313 00:29:22,080 --> 00:29:28,240 a family event I don't worry if they're going to be there he is or isn't you know and if I can walk 314 00:29:28,240 --> 00:29:34,320 through all my life like that where if I see anybody out of my past I can either reconcile it 315 00:29:34,320 --> 00:29:40,720 you know or or clean up my sight make amends for the harm that I've done whatever I've taken 316 00:29:40,720 --> 00:29:46,800 you know I can stand tall in that I don't have to be proud of what I did but I can be proud of what 317 00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:53,520 I am trying to do through this program and through you know through my higher power um it's it's fun 318 00:29:53,520 --> 00:29:58,320 to be able to read all these different books you know and with and I would have said I had a really 319 00:29:58,320 --> 00:30:03,520 good program you know before all this pandemic and all the changes went on you know and I've 320 00:30:03,520 --> 00:30:10,560 ended up having to change we're getting to change sponsors um because of changes you know and I it 321 00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:17,520 was hard but there's been so much growth you know and um and being able to stay more open-minded 322 00:30:17,520 --> 00:30:21,600 I've been able to read different books that I normally wouldn't have read opinions that I 323 00:30:21,600 --> 00:30:27,040 don't know that I really always agree with and I can read them with an open mind and consider it 324 00:30:27,040 --> 00:30:31,760 might be true because any new idea that wasn't mine I thought it had to mean that I was wrong 325 00:30:31,760 --> 00:30:36,880 and just because it's different doesn't mean I'm wrong it's just different you know and that that 326 00:30:36,880 --> 00:30:44,000 to me is such a freedom um I know the the 11th step says that you know sought through prayer 327 00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:50,400 meditation to improve our conscious contact um and seeking the knowledge of his will for me and the 328 00:30:50,400 --> 00:30:54,960 power to carry that out that's my prayer you know because I can't I still get tangled up I don't 329 00:30:54,960 --> 00:30:59,520 have no note cards anymore but I can still get really tangled up in prayer you know trying to 330 00:30:59,520 --> 00:31:04,720 decide what you need what they need you know well God bless them you know well God don't why why 331 00:31:04,720 --> 00:31:09,680 why don't I just need him to watch them why can't I have him watch everybody and so if I just see I 332 00:31:09,680 --> 00:31:15,520 can get tangled up quick if I just pray that that you have the knowledge of God's will and the power 333 00:31:15,520 --> 00:31:20,000 to carry that out wouldn't it be great I mean if we could all get that little connection and actually 334 00:31:20,000 --> 00:31:24,560 have the power to complete that you know or at least practice it or walk in that direction you 335 00:31:24,560 --> 00:31:29,200 know change our sails just a little bit and move towards that I think that would be better for you 336 00:31:29,200 --> 00:31:35,600 than anything that I could dream up for you so um I'm done I've really enjoyed being able to share 337 00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:40,560 I don't tell my story very often so I appreciate you guys staying engaged with me and I can see 338 00:31:40,560 --> 00:31:43,840 highs and people and I really appreciate y'all all right thank you