I Didn't Want to Want to. . .

ONE OF the hundreds of alcoholic inmates who appear before the California Adult Authority (Parole Board), for fixing of sentence and possible parole consideration, said to me: "I could not stop drinking because I did not want to want to." He had often said that he wanted to stop but it never worked. He returned to drink, bad checks, prison. Wanting to was not enough. He believes that he is now on the road to sobriety and that wanting to want to stop drinking brought him to the realization that he could possibly get some help from the Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship. He contacted the Chapter Sponsor at San Quentin Prison, was invited to attend the meetings, became an active member and, since his release from prison, has been in regular attendance in Southern California.