[Magdalen] 30 Years of Sobriety.

[H Angus]

I am so glad for you, David! 30 years is a wonderful testament to you and to the program.

It was February of 1986 when I entered my first meeting of Tough Love, for parents of "difficult" children. Lots of people there said I should go to Adult Children of Alcoholics, which is a 12-step program. I asked , "Why? My parents weren't alcoholics -- they barely drank a glass of wine in a month!" They answered "We still think you should go to ACOA." I was of course rigid with terror when I entered my first ACOA meeting, and I practically ran out the door when that meeting ended, so I wouldn't have to stand in a circle and hold hands with anyone and pray! (Hold hands, eeww! Pray in a circle with others, eeww!)

Most ACOA meetings have gone away -- its a very tough program and I suspect that nowadays most people just take anti-depressants. But for me the program was like being let out of a dark box into a new world, and I'll always be glad I did it old-school.

This morning, as an Al-Anon member I attended my regular open (all-12-steppers welcome) AA meeting, and afterwards I clasped hands joyfully with the people on either side as we recited the Lord's Prayer. Was it the Eagles? or Socrates? who said, "What a long strange road it's been."

----- Original Message -----
From: "James Handsfield" <jhandsfield at icloud.com>
To: magdalen at herberthouse.org
Sent: Friday, December 26, 2014 9:31:47 PM
Subject: Re: [Magdalen] 30 Years of Sobriety.

Getting caught up- congratulations on a wonderful milestone. 

Jim Handsfield 
Sent from my iPhone

> On Dec 26, 2014, at 9:30 PM, Lynn Ronkainen <houstonklr at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> happy 30th David. I have come to understand how wonderful events like this are, be they months, years or decades!
> peace
> Lynn
> 
> My email  is changing soon to: houstonKLR at gmail.com
> 
> 
> website: www.ichthysdesigns.com
> 
> When I stand before God at the end of my life I would hope that I have not a single bit of talent left and could say, "I used everything You gave me." attributed to Erma Bombeck
> 
> --------------------------------------------------
> From: "Jay Weigel" <jay.weigel at gmail.com>
> Sent: Friday, December 26, 2014 10:06 AM
> To: <Cantor03 at aol.com>; <magdalen at herberthouse.org>
> Subject: Re: [Magdalen] 30 Years of Sobriety.
> 
>> Happy 30th, David!
>> 
>> On Fri, Dec 26, 2014 at 11:02 AM, Cantor03--- via Magdalen <
>> magdalen at herberthouse.org> wrote:
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> December 27, 1984, I entered the diocesan committee room in the
>>> Eau Claire Diocesan Offices just next to Christ Church Cathedral in
>>> that City.
>>> 
>>> I had suspected something was up when the Cathedral Dean called me
>>> the day before and said he wanted "to chat" with me.  The subject  was
>>> avoided.
>>> 
>>> The committee room was set up with a table and four chairs on the  side
>>> opposite the entry, and there was one chair on my side.  The other  four
>>> chairs were occupied by (1) +Eau Claire, (2) Cathedral Dean, (3) the
>>> O/C who was a good friend, and (4) one of the Cathedral deacons, a
>>> fellow physician and friend.
>>> 
>>> It was a classical intervention, by the book and by the clerical  orders
>>> (bishop, priest, deacon, and layman).
>>> 
>>> I almost turned on my heels and walked out for it was obvious to me  what
>>> this was all about.  Thank God I did not.  I sat down.
>>> 
>>> I was gently but firmly raked over the coals.  The message:   alcohol was
>>> quickly sending me to hell in a handbasket, and I needed to clean up  my
>>> act or risk losing everything.
>>> 
>>> My reaction was initially (1) embarrassment, and then (2) anger.  How
>>> could
>>> these people possibly put me through this after all my activity and
>>> support
>>> for the Cathedral and the Diocese?  Then, blissfully, and I can't help but
>>> feel miraculously, (3) appreciation.  I became aware that "these  people"
>>> valued me enough to take the time and effort to mount this  intervention.
>>> 
>>> I owed them and myself no less than to enter outpatient rehab and AA that
>>> same day.  I has been TBTG 30 years since I picked up a  drink.  With
>>> God's help, I never will drink again.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> David Strang.