Dec 24 — Long Day
Holidays can be hard for alcoholics.
Not always loud-hard. Sometimes quiet-hard.
My alcoholism has this built-in sense of separation that loves to show up right on schedule. I didn’t do enough. They won’t like the gift. Crap—I forgot a gift. Family stuff. Old feelings. New expectations. On and on, like my head’s running a highlight reel of everything I’m supposedly doing wrong.
Restless, irritable, discontent.
It’s like my nervous system remembers the holidays even when I’m trying not to.
That’s a truth I’d rather avoid, but today I don’t have to. Because the great fact of my life now is this: I’ve been given something that actually works. The program of AA brings me back to sanity. I don’t have to drink to fit in. I don’t have to pretend I’m fine. I don’t have to be alone—even when I feel lonely.
There’s a meeting somewhere. There’s a phone I can pick up. And when things feel heavy, I’ve learned this too shall pass—even if it doesn’t feel like it in the moment.
I’m grateful for AA. It’s like a cast for a broken arm. It doesn’t make the arm perfect, but it holds it steady long enough to heal.
So during the holidays, I try to reach out a little more. Not just for me—but for you.
And somehow, in doing that, it helps me too.
What’s one way the holidays mess with your head—and what helps you stay grounded when that old restless, irritable, discontent feeling shows up?
Dec 24 — Long Day
Holidays can be hard for alcoholics.
Not always loud-hard. Sometimes quiet-hard.
My alcoholism has this built-in sense of separation that loves to show up right on schedule. I didn’t do enough. They won’t like the gift. Crap—I forgot a gift. Family stuff. Old feelings. New expectations. On and on, like my head’s running a highlight reel of everything I’m supposedly doing wrong.
Restless, irritable, discontent.
It’s like my nervous system remembers the holidays even when I’m trying not to.
That’s a truth I’d rather avoid, but today I don’t have to. Because the great fact of my life now is this: I’ve been given something that actually works. The program of AA brings me back to sanity. I don’t have to drink to fit in. I don’t have to pretend I’m fine. I don’t have to be alone—even when I feel lonely.
There’s a meeting somewhere. There’s a phone I can pick up. And when things feel heavy, I’ve learned this too shall pass—even if it doesn’t feel like it in the moment.
I’m grateful for AA. It’s like a cast for a broken arm. It doesn’t make the arm perfect, but it holds it steady long enough to heal.
So during the holidays, I try to reach out a little more. Not just for me—but for you.
And somehow, in doing that, it helps me too.
What’s one way the holidays mess with your head—and what helps you stay grounded when that old restless, irritable, discontent feeling shows up?
Dec 24 — Long Day
Holidays can be hard for alcoholics.
Not always loud-hard. Sometimes quiet-hard.
My alcoholism has this built-in sense of separation that loves to show up right on schedule. I didn’t do enough. They won’t like the gift. Crap—I forgot a gift. Family stuff. Old feelings. New expectations. On and on, like my head’s running a highlight reel of everything I’m supposedly doing wrong.
Restless, irritable, discontent.
It’s like my nervous system remembers the holidays even when I’m trying not to.
That’s a truth I’d rather avoid, but today I don’t have to. Because the great fact of my life now is this: I’ve been given something that actually works. The program of AA brings me back to sanity. I don’t have to drink to fit in. I don’t have to pretend I’m fine. I don’t have to be alone—even when I feel lonely.
There’s a meeting somewhere. There’s a phone I can pick up. And when things feel heavy, I’ve learned this too shall pass—even if it doesn’t feel like it in the moment.
I’m grateful for AA. It’s like a cast for a broken arm. It doesn’t make the arm perfect, but it holds it steady long enough to heal.
So during the holidays, I try to reach out a little more. Not just for me—but for you.
And somehow, in doing that, it helps me too.
What’s one way the holidays mess with your head—and what helps you stay grounded when that old restless, irritable, discontent feeling shows up?
Dec 24 — Long Day
Holidays can be hard for alcoholics.
Not always loud-hard. Sometimes quiet-hard.
My alcoholism has this built-in sense of separation that loves to show up right on schedule. I didn’t do enough. They won’t like the gift. Crap—I forgot a gift. Family stuff. Old feelings. New expectations. On and on, like my head’s running a highlight reel of everything I’m supposedly doing wrong.
Restless, irritable, discontent.
It’s like my nervous system remembers the holidays even when I’m trying not to.
That’s a truth I’d rather avoid, but today I don’t have to. Because the great fact of my life now is this: I’ve been given something that actually works. The program of AA brings me back to sanity. I don’t have to drink to fit in. I don’t have to pretend I’m fine. I don’t have to be alone—even when I feel lonely.
There’s a meeting somewhere. There’s a phone I can pick up. And when things feel heavy, I’ve learned this too shall pass—even if it doesn’t feel like it in the moment.
I’m grateful for AA. It’s like a cast for a broken arm. It doesn’t make the arm perfect, but it holds it steady long enough to heal.
So during the holidays, I try to reach out a little more. Not just for me—but for you.
And somehow, in doing that, it helps me too.
What’s one way the holidays mess with your head—and what helps you stay grounded when that old restless, irritable, discontent feeling shows up?
Dec 24 — Long Day
Holidays can be hard for alcoholics.
Not always loud-hard. Sometimes quiet-hard.
My alcoholism has this built-in sense of separation that loves to show up right on schedule. I didn’t do enough. They won’t like the gift. Crap—I forgot a gift. Family stuff. Old feelings. New expectations. On and on, like my head’s running a highlight reel of everything I’m supposedly doing wrong.
Restless, irritable, discontent.
It’s like my nervous system remembers the holidays even when I’m trying not to.
That’s a truth I’d rather avoid, but today I don’t have to. Because the great fact of my life now is this: I’ve been given something that actually works. The program of AA brings me back to sanity. I don’t have to drink to fit in. I don’t have to pretend I’m fine. I don’t have to be alone—even when I feel lonely.
There’s a meeting somewhere. There’s a phone I can pick up. And when things feel heavy, I’ve learned this too shall pass—even if it doesn’t feel like it in the moment.
I’m grateful for AA. It’s like a cast for a broken arm. It doesn’t make the arm perfect, but it holds it steady long enough to heal.
So during the holidays, I try to reach out a little more. Not just for me—but for you.
And somehow, in doing that, it helps me too.
What’s one way the holidays mess with your head—and what helps you stay grounded when that old restless, irritable, discontent feeling shows up?
Dec 24 — Long Day
Holidays can be hard for alcoholics.
Not always loud-hard. Sometimes quiet-hard.
My alcoholism has this built-in sense of separation that loves to show up right on schedule. I didn’t do enough. They won’t like the gift. Crap—I forgot a gift. Family stuff. Old feelings. New expectations. On and on, like my head’s running a highlight reel of everything I’m supposedly doing wrong.
Restless, irritable, discontent.
It’s like my nervous system remembers the holidays even when I’m trying not to.
That’s a truth I’d rather avoid, but today I don’t have to. Because the great fact of my life now is this: I’ve been given something that actually works. The program of AA brings me back to sanity. I don’t have to drink to fit in. I don’t have to pretend I’m fine. I don’t have to be alone—even when I feel lonely.
There’s a meeting somewhere. There’s a phone I can pick up. And when things feel heavy, I’ve learned this too shall pass—even if it doesn’t feel like it in the moment.
I’m grateful for AA. It’s like a cast for a broken arm. It doesn’t make the arm perfect, but it holds it steady long enough to heal.
So during the holidays, I try to reach out a little more. Not just for me—but for you.
And somehow, in doing that, it helps me too.
What’s one way the holidays mess with your head—and what helps you stay grounded when that old restless, irritable, discontent feeling shows up?
Dec 24 — Long Day
Holidays can be hard for alcoholics.
Not always loud-hard. Sometimes quiet-hard.
My alcoholism has this built-in sense of separation that loves to show up right on schedule. I didn’t do enough. They won’t like the gift. Crap—I forgot a gift. Family stuff. Old feelings. New expectations. On and on, like my head’s running a highlight reel of everything I’m supposedly doing wrong.
Restless, irritable, discontent.
It’s like my nervous system remembers the holidays even when I’m trying not to.
That’s a truth I’d rather avoid, but today I don’t have to. Because the great fact of my life now is this: I’ve been given something that actually works. The program of AA brings me back to sanity. I don’t have to drink to fit in. I don’t have to pretend I’m fine. I don’t have to be alone—even when I feel lonely.
There’s a meeting somewhere. There’s a phone I can pick up. And when things feel heavy, I’ve learned this too shall pass—even if it doesn’t feel like it in the moment.
I’m grateful for AA. It’s like a cast for a broken arm. It doesn’t make the arm perfect, but it holds it steady long enough to heal.
So during the holidays, I try to reach out a little more. Not just for me—but for you.
And somehow, in doing that, it helps me too.
What’s one way the holidays mess with your head—and what helps you stay grounded when that old restless, irritable, discontent feeling shows up?
Dec 24 — Long Day
Holidays can be hard for alcoholics.
Not always loud-hard. Sometimes quiet-hard.
My alcoholism has this built-in sense of separation that loves to show up right on schedule. I didn’t do enough. They won’t like the gift. Crap—I forgot a gift. Family stuff. Old feelings. New expectations. On and on, like my head’s running a highlight reel of everything I’m supposedly doing wrong.
Restless, irritable, discontent.
It’s like my nervous system remembers the holidays even when I’m trying not to.
That’s a truth I’d rather avoid, but today I don’t have to. Because the great fact of my life now is this: I’ve been given something that actually works. The program of AA brings me back to sanity. I don’t have to drink to fit in. I don’t have to pretend I’m fine. I don’t have to be alone—even when I feel lonely.
There’s a meeting somewhere. There’s a phone I can pick up. And when things feel heavy, I’ve learned this too shall pass—even if it doesn’t feel like it in the moment.
I’m grateful for AA. It’s like a cast for a broken arm. It doesn’t make the arm perfect, but it holds it steady long enough to heal.
So during the holidays, I try to reach out a little more. Not just for me—but for you.
And somehow, in doing that, it helps me too.
What’s one way the holidays mess with your head—and what helps you stay grounded when that old restless, irritable, discontent feeling shows up?
