When My Butt Falls Off
February 2016 | Special Section

When My Butt Falls Off

Twenty years ago, I kissed my father and told him it was OK to go. Then he passed quietly. I can't say it was easy, but it was possible because of the help of AA. Some say that the fifth year of sobriety is a tough one. I fully agree. I got sober March 14, 1988, and five years later my life was about to change in ways I couldn't imagine. It was September 1993, and I had a job that I loved, I was married and living in Des Moines, Washington. But within three weeks, I was laid off from the job, my wife invited me to leave, and my father was diagnosed with terminal cancer. In short, my butt was falling off. What seemed like an insurmountable set of circumstances turned out to be an opportunity for God to reveal his greatness. That job ending forced me to find another, which turned out to be night work. At first that seemed bad, but it really was a blessing. It allowed me the chance to spend the next six months visiting with my dad. Every day I drove to their home from work and helped him with the chores he wanted to finish before he could go. I got to know the man as I never had growing up. My wife and I were forced to face mortality and the problems in our marriage, and we grew closer. The little battles that seemed so important before now seemed petty, and we bonded together for support. Life that year was challenging, and I was forced to learn lessons about what really matters. And through it all, I continued to go to my AA meetings. The Fellowship saved my sanity and gave me a shoulder to cry on. I learned to pray, not asking for things, but instead asking for the strength to do God's work. He gave me peace when my brothers and sisters came to say their goodbyes and wept in my car as I drove them to the airport after. He allowed me the honor of helping them through it. When I got sober, people in AA told me to hang on because now I was going to really experience life. It hasn't been easy or perfect. I've made countless mistakes, and the main thing I did right through it all was not drink. So tomorrow I will return to the old homestead, my meeting place, to remember that time 20 years ago, and most of all, say thank you.

WANT TO CONTINUE READING?

You must have an active online AA Grapevine subscription to access full stories and audio.

Login Renew Subscribe

Need help with customer service?

Call 800 631-6025 (English), 800 640-8781 (Spanish), 212-870-3456 (French) or email: [email protected]
or [email protected]

Have Something You Want To Share?

We want to hear your story! Submit your story and it could be published in a future issue of AA Grapevine!

Submit your Story