Exactly Alike

Frequent contact with newcomers and with each other is the bright spot of our lives.

Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 89

A man came to the meeting drunk, interrupted the speakers, stood up and took his shirt off, staggered loudly back and forth for coffee, demanded to talk, and eventually called the group's secretary an unquotable name and walked out. I was glad he was there – once again I saw what I had been like. But I also saw what I still am, and what I still could be. I don't have to be drunk to want to be the exception and the center of attention. I have often felt abused and responded abusively when I was simply being treated as a garden variety human being. The more the man tried to insist he was different, the more I realized that he and I were exactly alike.

            From AA’s Daily Reflections for September 29^th.

When I came to 12-step recovery, I was terminally unique, full of self-pity and rage.  Today I am just a garden variety drunk that can hear the similarities of how we are all alike instead of getting stuck on the differences between me and everybody else.  That is a lot of progress and a much easier way to live.

I am grateful to be exactly alike other alcoholics.  There is a treatment that works for what we have.   That is a lot better than how it used to be.