I'm sad today. I sent an email to an OA friend I hadn't seen if a few weeks. This person emailed me back to say they quit OA. They had seemed like they were making suck progress and really working the steps. A few weeks ago someone announced they would no longer be coming to meetings. At first we thought it was a joke. It wasn't.
I've been in the rooms long enough to see people come and go. But both these people have been coming for at least six months. They've shared their struggles and I related to both of them. I've seen many people drift away and just stop coming, but this is the first time I've heard, "I quit" and I've heard it twice in a few weeks. This is another reminder that relapse is only one bite away. One self-destructive decision is all it would take for me to lose my abstinence.
Yesterday at a meeting someone shared that they often hear that relapse was only a bite away, but that they had realized that abstinence was only a prayer away. I liked that a lot. Very hopeful.
When I got that email this afternoon I was so sad, I called a longtime OA to share my sadness. She is sad too. She said all I could do was pray for them. So I will.
I value my abstinence so much, I hate to see anyone throw theirs away. I want everyone to have what I've found. I wish both my friends well and I hope they come back soon. This disease is deadly and progressive. I'm worried, but all I can do is pray and remember to reach out to them every once in a while.
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