“Within thirty minutes I knew A.A. was the answer for me.”
-Alcoholics Anonymous p. 387
“It Might Have Been Worse” is the story of Chet R., a self-described high-bottom drunk who fell in love with AA. It is refreshing to read a personal story in the Big Book, whose love story with AA is similar to mine. I also fell in love with the program of Alcoholics Anonymous right from the start—I too knew it had the answer to my alcoholism.
Chet could not identify with those who had been in jail, had legal problems, work problems, or had lived on skid row. Yes, he had a lot of family problems with a wife who had left him more than once, and a daughter who screamed that he needed to go to Alcoholics Anonymous. But he didn’t start drinking until he was over 35. He was busy with work and family responsibilities. He didn’t care for what drinking did to people, either. However, the lure of the “social obligation” with his work associates finally convinced him to pick up a drink, and he was off to the races after that.
High-bottom drunks, or so-called “functioning” alcoholics, have a real challenge ahead of us. We may not think our drinking is that bad because we have not endured the losses that so many in our meetings describe. However, we know in our hearts that we have crossed over our own morality line—our own values have been sacrificed at the altar of alcohol. Like Chet, we belong in AA too. And we can love AA as much as a skid row drunk.
Today’s Prayer
God, thank you for the identification that comes with the personal stories in the Big Book. I can always identify with an alcoholic, which assures me I am in the right place—in AA.
Happy Thanksgiving Weekend! No matter how we celebrate, the gratitude we feel for sobriety goes into all of our activities. I am publishing from my book three days in a row from a series I wrote on the personal story, “It Might Have Been Worse” about Chet R., a man who loved AA as much as I do. Enjoy and I pray you get some time to both relax and be of service this weekend. -Jamey M.
God bless AA!
Love this. I too was a high bottom drunk and immediately fell in love with AA. I am so grateful today and everyday for my sobriety.