What a great start to the New Year! All those years where I was already well sloshed by the time the ball dropped are past and I didn't even wake up with bleary eyes, a cotton mouth or needing to throw up! Granted I didn't get up early this morning, but that was because I greeted the New Year with a meeting that started shortly after midnight. If it wasn't the first it was certainly one of the first meetings of the year in NE Florida.
We were a small group, gathered in the back room of a local clubhouse that was throwing its own New Year's Eve bash. We sat up the chairs and the candles for our candlelight meeting as we listened to other members of the fellowship cheer in the year and a few minutes after midnight I was given the privilege of starting the meeting. "My name is ..."
We decided to focus the meeting on the need to find our bottom before coming to AA, not only because we were starting the new year, but because we had a couple of beginners with us -- one of whom picked up his white chip at the end of the meeting. When we closed I think we all felt better. We were sober, not just dry, and feeling a wonderful sense of hope for the new year.
After the meeting I stopped by the clubhouse that hosts my home group and talked for a bit with a few of the men I know from the fellowship before finding my way home. As I crawled into bed, my wonderful, understanding bride of 28 years woke enough to ask me how it went and all I could say was "great." The sense of love and hope that fills me is beyond my wildest expectation and I am so grateful for the many gifts my God has given me.
A Happy and Blessed New Year to all of you!
Until next time...
