PO Box 1980

Like Brad B. in his January 2005 letter, I view Victor E. as having forty-two years of continuous sobriety. I look forward to seeing this dear friend in every issue. My understanding of his getting past the barroom each month is different from Brad's, because I like the fact that he gets thirsty on occasion. I, too, get thirsty from time to time. My first sponsor taught me that we are all an arm's length away from a drink. "I am Twelve Steps away from a drink" sounds better to me, yet my experience tells me that at certain times my only defense against the first drink must come from a Higher Power. So, I stick to the "arm's length" perception, and have, since my second year, come to believe that an occasional thought of a drink is my loving God's way of helping me remember what I am: an alcoholic.