A day to remember

[Guest guest]

Hi Friends,

One year ago, on the 12th of January 1999, I turned my

life around.

The previous three years, 1996 1997, and 1998, I

spent in an almost constant haze of depression,

drunkenness, black outs, and hangovers.

I had tried several times to quit drinking alcohol.

But this time I attended an AA meeting, and some

friendly people there gave me all the help and support

I needed to succeed this time.

They taught me several very practical tips and tricks

how to beat the booze. I could not have done it

without them.

But mind you, I succeeded, without knowing anything

about the AA steps, the AA Big Book, and the whole

rest of the so-called " simple " AA program.

After three months attending AA meetings however I

knew all about it, and being an agnostic I did not buy

it. I decided to opt out of the AA life style.

But some of the AA people who had been so helpful to

me in the beginning said to me:

If you don't want to work the steps program, that's

fine, you don’t have to.

If you reject the concept of a Higher Power, that's

fine, you can.

These are only suggestions.

Take only what YOU need and leave the rest.

The only requirement for AA membership is the desire

to stop drinking alcohol.

This is what I wanted to share with you nine months

after I stopped with AA, and I still have NOT turned

into a drunk.

Life has become worth living again.

I had the well known ‘anger symptoms’ shortly after I

quit AA.

I got the good advice to write my AA experiences down.

That is what I did, and I can advise it to anybody who

has gone through the same experience.

My AA story is called ‘My AA Story’ and it is on

Apple's web page :

http://www.aadeprogramming.com/index_frames.html

and also on :

http://anthonystorm.homepage.com

I very much enjoy reading the messages on the

12-step-free list. '12sf' means a lot to me.

Regards,

Bart Storm

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