Group with Senior's

The other night was a special night. One of our group members decided he was going to share his road to recovery with our group. This particular member, (who suggested that I blog about his story) is a retired businessman who lost his wife a year ago to the day. He had used alcohol for 20 years of his life, and in his opinion, never had a drinking problem. He got his first drinking citation last summer. He was court ordered to classes, and the regular monitoring. The A.A. program did not meet his needs in his words, nor did inpt treatment. He actually told our group three months ago that he could quit on a drop of a dime. The story continues as this older man, was socializing with one of his drinking buddies, and was saying goodbye to the happy hour gang. His friend appeared to be struggling with some health issues, and as he left his bar chair, his friend fell out of his chair. A mild heart attack, quickly, our older gentlemen telling the story, tried to help his friend, but he was too intoxicated to meet the challenge. The bar was dead empty, at 9:30 am on a Tuesday. Finally after a couple of horrible minuets, a waitress appeared, and called 911. The man was taken to the hospital, and was listed in critical condition. This happened last Tuesday as the story goes. The group member telling the story, has been clean for 9 days. He reports the worst 9 days of his life, but at the same time, 9 days in which he is learning how to stay in his health, and stay in the moment. Yes he can drink at any second, but at this second he is choosing not to. After telling his story, our small group offered him support and thanked him for his words. I was waiting patiently to say something, biting my tongue, and then as he walked to his chair, he turned around, and said, "I was the man who fell out of the chair, and was taken to the hospital". Sometimes it takes inner strength to come clean with self, then others, or others then self! There is no time table for recovery, no certain age, there is only the opportunity for self to change at any time! Stay in your health, stay in the moment.