| The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous (3rd edition, | | | | remembering your last 'drunk' is a very powerful |
| p.83-84) promises a new life filled with hope, freedom | | | | reminder of why you want to stay sober. I clearly |
| and happiness. In the next article of this series, you are | | | | remember what it was like and what my issues were |
| going to examine promise number two. "We will not | | | | when I began to sober up. I was bitter over my |
| regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it." | | | | divorce, had no self confidence and spent most of my |
| Who would not regret the past anguish and torment of | | | | time feeling sorry for myself about my circumstances. |
| his or her former drinking days? | | | | Does that sound familiar to you?" |
| What good can come from remembering smashed up | | | | "It sure does," Donny replied in a very quiet voice. |
| cars and destroyed relationships? | | | | "Replace all those useless and harmful thoughts, |
| Why not shut the door on the humiliation of your | | | | attitudes and actions with positive and constructive |
| insane behavior at your daughter's wedding? | | | | thoughts, attitudes and actions," the old-timer continued. |
| Can you really find any good in the horrendous | | | | "First of all count your blessings that you're still alive! |
| wreckage of your past? | | | | Both of us should have been dead many times over. If |
| Strangely enough, the answer is yes! | | | | you're feeling sorry for yourself, volunteer to help |
| To remember the terror and insanity of your worst | | | | somebody else! |
| drinking days is actually an asset! | | | | I guarantee that you will come back and be very |
| These experiences and recollections can be used to | | | | appreciative of your current situation. Don't dwell on |
| keep yourself and other members of the program | | | | the past, but there is nothing wrong with remembering |
| clean and sober. | | | | where you have come from. Use your past to keep |
| My good friend Donny has once more agreed to let | | | | yourself and others sober." |
| me share his story about coming to terms with the | | | | The key to the 2nd Promise comes from the last |
| 2nd promise. | | | | statement of Donny's conversation. |
| "I hate war stories about our old drinking days! | | | | "Use your past to keep yourself and others sober." In |
| Everybody knows what it was like. Why don't we just | | | | other words, keep the door to the past slightly open |
| focus on how we are going to get better? | | | | and use it wisely to face your current challenges. |
| I approached an old-timer after a meeting about my | | | | The 2nd Promise is crucial to your recovery and the |
| concerns after a particularly long winded speaker | | | | recovery of others. Don't dwell on the past but always |
| lamented about his awful experiences." | | | | remember what is used to be like! |
| "You're right son," commented the old-timer. "But, | | | | |