[bluidkiti]

February 27

Quote of the Week

"It is easier to resist the bait than to struggle on the hook."

I can’t tell you the number of times I swore I wasn’t going to drink. Then I’d begin reasoning that just one drink wouldn’t be so bad. In a matter of minutes, I’d rationalize those two drinks—okay, maybe three max—for an evening or party should be perfectly controllable. But once that first drink went down my throat, the phenomenon of craving took over, and then the allergy of the body left me utterly defenseless as to how much I would end up drinking. One drink, and I was hooked.

I didn’t know anything about alcoholism when I entered the rooms. I had no idea about the allergy or about the craving. And I especially couldn’t understand it when I heard people say, “It’s the first drink that gets you drunk.” But it’s the sixth or seventh drink that gets you drunk, I’d think. And that was when my sponsor had me do an inventory on my drinking career. Turns out, they were right.

I now know that, as an alcoholic, I cannot take that first drink. Even with years of recovery, I know that I am still defenseless against the disease, and that one drink would once again kick-start the allergy and the craving. My only hope is to resist the bait. I shiver to think what it would be like to be hooked again on the disease. It’s truly frightening. Today, I’m grateful that my spiritual condition gives me the strength to resist picking up that drink. It truly is easier to resist the bait than to struggle with active alcoholism.