Once upon a time I knew a girl--Maria--who liked to dance on tables in taverns. She also enjoyed removing vital garments while dancing. Never EVER would she perform in this fashion without being drunk out of her mind. Maria is an alcoholic, suffers from that mental, physical, spiritual disease of alcoholism.
Somehow she one day decided enough of her life had been wasted being sick and tired of being sick and tired. She had reached the bottom of the pit of life. 'It' just was not working out as she had planned.
Maria began to feel ashamed of her barroom antics. She had looked around the cocktail lounge and wondered which of dozens or so of the men had she taken to her bed? What were their names? She felt like that 'Adam-and-Eve' thing, wanting to go somewhere and hide herself.
Maria entered a 6-day detox, and then a 28-day treatment facility. There were 10 in her small group of recovering drunks. On the final day of her stay there, the chief counselor told the assembled 10 that the deck was stacked against them, statistics showed that ONE of them would likely be blest with long-term sobriety.
Maria began "tears-on-the-floor" crying, sobbing. Asked why she was crying, she replied, that she had been overwhelmed with sorrow for the other 9, who might not make it.
She had surrendered (SO important!) and made a commitment to herself to stay sober. She had stopped drinking--fine--and now she would STAY stopped.
Maria is sober now 25 years. Eight did not make it.
I know Maria.
A frightening statistic, We're all miracles today
ReplyDeletebig smiles...at the one that made it...tears for the 8
ReplyDeleteMoving. Glad she stayed.
ReplyDeleteJoy always,
Susan
Good that she made it. So many don't.
ReplyDeleteJEREMY! four blogs you have--how do you keep up? I've been to two, and like, guess I'll have to pick ONE to read! YEP! We ARE miracles, and I use stories from my past to remember that. Glad you come here!
ReplyDeleteBRIAN! "Tears for the eight!" Well, they may be sober today--at least they went through the "introductory" course--grin!
PEACE!
SUSAN DEBORAH!
I'll write something "normal" next. How much 'alcoholic' talk can a 'normal' person take? I absolutely love your being here. Thanks!
SYD!
Thanks for dropping in Syd. Is 'retired' life for you, like for me? 24 hours is not enough.
Yes- fritghtening statistics and not very auspicious- hummmm?
ReplyDeleteWhy is it so easy to take the wrong path and so hard to do what's best for us?
Always wondered.
It's as if Satan had easier ways... and issues!
Damn it!
i am happy for Maria, though. She represents that hope we should never lose, and so do you!
:)
DULCE!
ReplyDeleteStatistics are statistics--never do they allow completeness in their message. I believe that in any discipline one should not be persuaded nor dissuaded by researchers' numbers. (They ARE simply 'fun' though, yes?--grin!)
As for the devil, I wish him his due. He wishes for me the 'easier, softer way'...which can only signal my eternal demise.
Thank you for bringing your sweeter words over here from Sweeter poetry.
PEACE!
is there a reason why they give you that statistic at the end of rehab? because they did with us too?
ReplyDeleteas for maria, well done girl!!! i'm so happy for you!
Steve,
ReplyDeleteMy heart is with the eight who didn't make it.
I am a firm believer in second chances.
SHADOW!
ReplyDeleteStatistics do not prove a thing--to me.
I do not have a clue
Why they do that to you
Maybe a 'scare' tactic?
If it were me, THAT would be my excuse to say, "Well, that does it for me...I was never "one-out-of-ten" in anything...ever!"
FELISOL!
I have seen people get sober, and go back out DOZEN times, and then make that decision, that surrender. You are SO right. And treatment centers know that also, and welcome people back time after time--as long as they have the money
AA is FREE! Thanks for your interest here, you always seem to have good insight on any issue. I like that!
PEACE!
Progress, not perfection. Isn't that the motto? With every attempt you gain knowledge. With every person, still alive, there is a chance, for change. I am the daughter, wife, and mother of alcoholics. My Dad has 39 years of sobriety, by Husband has 7 years. My son's one has maybe a couple of weeks, the other is still using. I have hope. I will never surrender, hope!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic reminder that this feeling within me CAN be as real and absoloute as it feels....with effort.
ReplyDelete