Upon Entering A.A. (Step Twelve continued)
Upon entering A.A., these attitudes were sharply reversed, often going much too far in the opposite direction. The spectacle of years of waste threw us into panic. There simply wouldn’t be time, we thought, to rebuild our shattered fortunes. How could we ever take care of those awful debts, possess a decent home, educate the kids, and set something by for old age? Financial importance was no longer our principal aim; we now clamored for material security.
For anyone who doesn’t know my story, I will explain that I was just four weeks away from my 22nd birthday when I stopped drinking. There were certainly years of waste behind me, but they weren’t the type these sentences speak to. If any young person ever reads my words I will tell you, it is worth it to stop drinking so young. It is worth it to live your entire adult life sober. There’s a quote I like, I’m not sure where it’s from, but the essence of it is: If you can’t be grateful for what you have, be grateful for what you’ve escaped. And I am.
