I think you are right. Balance is important and getting on with life and taking advantage of the good times...because with my history I never know when it will hit again. Well actually I do know usually because it is so cyclical. I should be good until Nov. with a short term one middle of the summer. Last summer not. Maybe I will even make it past Nov. who knows.

It is ingrained in me from AA that just because you are all better now and got all this clean and sober time and life is well and wonderful, that you quit going to meetings. Because you have a responsibility to the new guy or gal that walks in the doors. How is that new person going to get helped if everyone leaves? And that is how you keep yourself sober is by helping others. If you stay away to long you are going to relapse. (damn near happened to me after I quit going for five years.) It is a huge part of AA philosophy.

So I feel like I owe it to people if i am doing good to stop in here every once in awhile and say what helped me. It wasn't that long ago I came here looking for any glimmer of hope. I had basically lost all hope and given up. I did find it here or at least I didn't feel alone. I wish we would hear more success stories because we need hope.