[Ygrec23]

We had a LOT to celebrate on Thanksgiving. My brother Don, 57, came down and told us what we'd never known before: he's been in AA for a year now, going to 6 meetings a week, and hasn't touched alcohol in all that time. He's been an alcoholic, of which we were only too aware, for forty years. Forty years! And he's come out of the desert! He's home!
Lost his lovely wife. Lost his two wonderful daughters. Lucky he can drive again. And here he was, totally relaxed about other people drinking, happily contenting himself with cranberry juice and seltzer. He's really, totally impressed with AA. Spent the past three days telling us everything about it he knows, in detail. The people he meets in AA are just great.

We really didn't know much about AA before. We're really impressed, we're really thankful for AA, and so wildly happy about Don. We understand it's a daily fight. We think we can understand a little about the temptations. But it sure made the best Thanksgiving we've had in a long, long while! THANK YOU!!! (Just overflowing with gratitude.) Ygrec

[roads]

I'm thrilled for you & for you brother. Yep, when someone really works the program, AA works. It's a blessing/miracle.

Tell him the first year is the hardest. Except for the rest of them. Bet he laughs.

[madisgram]

thanks you for sharing about your brother, ygrec. i'm so very happy for him. those of us in AA have found it's benefits-too many to mention. my greatest ones-i'm now happy, joyous, and free! my heart is full of gratitude. thru AA i found spirituality. something very lacking in my life. having that renewed i know i am not alone anymore. my higher power and AA strengthen my resolve-22 yrs sober. may your brother discover all these wonderful things too. you may be interested in reading "THE PROMISES" in chapter 5 of the big book:

From pages 83-84 of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous)
If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are halfway through. We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness. We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it. We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace. No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others. That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows. Self-seeking will slip away. Our whole attitude and outlook on life will change. Fear of people and economic insecurity will leave us. We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.
Are these extravagant promises? We think not. They are being fulfilled among us - sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them.

Reprinted from the book Alcoholics Anonymous (The Big Book) with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc. http://www.sonomacountyaa.org/resour...e_Promises.pdf

[gma45]

Congratulations Ygerc, I can tell by your post you are so proud! I just love a success story. So glad you had a great Thanksgiving that is really something to be thankful for!

[Willcat]

Sobriety is good. I'm glad your brother decide to turn his life around.