To AA or Not to AA. That is the Questions. Part 2

Image by Kevin via Flickr

This is the second part of this series. You can go here to see part 1.

The three C’s of AA is what I would use to sum up this post.  I’ll share a little bit about all three of them today.

Coffee

I know a lot of non-alcoholics who enjoy a good cup of coffee.  I received a tweet from @Dougrea just this morning which stated “coffee. most delightful. the nectar of the gods.”  I think that sums it up pretty well.

Alcoholics though, from what I’ve experienced, really really enjoy a good cup of coffee, good optional.  I learned this early on while I was in rehab.  In the group room, where we spent pretty much all of our time, there was a coffee lovers coffee maker.  At any given time, one could walk up to it, pull a lever, and could get some of the finest coffee around.  Finest because it was just about the only coffee you could get.  It was instant-instant coffee.

Not missing a beat.  When I left rehab and went to my first AA meeting “away from” Cumberland Heights, one of the first things I noticed when I walked into the room was the smell of coffee.  And there were people gathered around this coffee maker.  It’s the proverbial “Water Cooler” of AA.  I would venture to say that during a one to one-and-a-half hour meeting, 3 full pots of coffee would be consumed.

I still drink lots of coffee.  Lots.  Like at least 2 pots a day.  But I miss the coffee at the meetings.

Candy

One of the first things I remember hearing at rehab that I thought was odd, was the counselor telling us to make sure we had plenty of candy lying around.  At the time, I wasn’t really into sweets.  I didn’t like deserts.  Chocolate might as well been a pickle.  I just had zero desire for sweets.

Now I know why.  Alcohol contains a lot of sugars. When we stopped drinking, our bodies still craved the sugars, along with everything else.  Eating a good bite of chocolate when having a craving for alcohol, eases that craving.

Anyway, at some of the AA meetings, a bowl of candy would be passed around the room.  Not once.  It get’s passed around so much, I sometimes got tired of passing it. Some of the meetings just had little candy dishes on each of the tables. Either way, there is always candy at an AA meeting.

Now, I’m a lover of sweets.  I really enjoy M&M’s and the first thing I notice when at a gathering where food is involved, is the desert table.  I have the belly to vouch for that.

So, if you or someone you know, is trying to quit drinking, please please go get you or them some candy.

Conversation

In my previous post, I mentioned quite a bit about the conversations at an AA meeting.  Sure, I can have a conversation with you even if you’re not a alcoholic.  There is just something about having a casual conversation with one of your own in the setting of an AA meeting.  I don’t know if it’s the lack of guilt.  I don’t know if it’s the selfishness of an alcoholic who just can’t wait to talk about me me me.  I really don’t know what it is, but I enjoyed it and miss it.

“So, Scott! Why don’t you go back?”

I’ll see if I can get into that a little, next post.

Because of HIM

SC