Jims Story
We will look at Jim’s story. He tells the AA members exactly how it happened
that he drank again. It is his story. It starts with him going to work on
Tuesday morning. Where was he Monday? He remembers he was irritated that
he was a salesman for the agency he once owned. Remember in the Drs.
Opinion he says alcoholics are restless, irritable, and disconnected, and seek
the ease and comfort of alcohol. He had a few words with the boss, but
nothing serious. Is he telling a lie to himself? So Jim is irritated and angry and
decides to go to the country to see a prospect to sell a car. Why? There just
happens to be a roadside place on the way that has a bar where he can have
lunch. Do you see the alcoholic thinking? He says he had no intention of
drinking because he had eaten there before and had not drank.
Jim is restless, irritable and discontented. He is sober. Remember the disease
of alcoholism occurs sober. It is the spiritual malady that occurs before the
first drink. Sober without God we run the show, it doesn’t come off well. Jim
did not enlarge his spiritual life. He is angry about being a salesman, losing
his automobile agency, and angry at his boss. For an alcoholic this is a
dangerous condition. So what does Jim do? He decides to have lunch in a
bar. Can you see the insanity of the disease of alcoholism. How our emotions
build up and we may not realize what is happening because it is the lie we
have been living on. The Dr. says after a time we cannot differentiate the true
from the false.
” Suddenly the thought crossed my mind that if I were to put an ounce of
whiskey in my milk it couldn’t hurt me on a full stomach.” He believes a lie. “I
ordered a whiskey and poured it into a glass of milk. I vaguely sensed I was
not being too smart, but felt reassured as I was taking the whiskey on a full
stomach.” It went so well he had another and thus started the journey to the
asylum for Jim. He had no defence against the first drink. Ask yourself what is
your defence against the first drink today, right at this minute, For me it
always starts with a right relationship with GOD. How do I maintain this right
relationship? By continuously working the program of action outlined in the
big book.
Jim had the threat of commitment. No defence. The threat of loss of family.
No defence. The threat of loss of position. No defence. The recall of the
suffering and humiliation that always followed the first drink. No defence. He
knew he was an alcoholic. He had, no defence against the first drink.
” Yet all reasons for not drinking were easily pushed aside in favour of the
foolish idea that he could take whiskey with milk.” This is insanity. They call
it the lack of proportion to think straight. On my own there will come a time
when my emotions will build up and I will drink again. At that time my will
power will not work! Why not? Because right before the alcoholic takes the
first drink, he can only see what it is going to do for him, not to him! Without
God I have no defence against the first drink. They spend 43 pages plus the
Drs. Opinion to hammer home this point to the reader.
They knew that unless I can truly see that I have no plan or power that will
ever work against taking the first drink I won’t be willing to go thru the plan of
action required. My power and my plan will never work. The rest of the book
from page 44-88 is the plan of action. Unless one is completely defeated on
himself and completely willing to change and follow directions, the book says
there is no hope. Yet on p 55 they make the following statements: If this
testimony helps sweep away prejudice, enables you to think honestly,
encourages you to search diligently within yourself, then, if you wish, you may
join us on the broad highway. WITH THIS ATTITUDE YOU WILL NOT FAIL.
In conclusion if I fully concede that I have no power or defence against the
first drink I begin to change my attitude! I start to turn away from me for a
solution to something greater than myself. Turn away from me. This is the
starting point on the path to spiritual progress.
