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From the Book

Things My Sponsors Taught ME
By Paul H.

On Being Tempted

What the hell were you doing there in the first place?

Very early in my recovery, as I walked to the train, I passed a favorite liquor store that was advertising my favorite brand. With some effort and self-pity a great deal of self-righteousness, I managed no to go in. When I got to the train, my sponsor was there, and I told him what had happened. The statement I’ve quoted was his response. I was crushed. I thought he’d at least pat me on the back. But then I gave some serious thought to what he was saying to me, and I realized I had made things harder for myself. I didn’t need to go near a liquor store. He challenged me to find a way to walk from my office to the train with out passing a liquor store or a tavern. That isn’t easy in a big city like Chicago, but it can be done, and he made me find out how.

We often crate difficult situations for ourselves. We often get in the way of our sobriety. My sponsor was showing me I really hadn’t put my sobriety first. He recognized what I had yet to learn: and alcoholic never need to be looking in a liquor store window. Potentially dangerous situations are easily handled when we don’t let them take place.

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