VOLUME XXIV T H E V I E W NEWSLETTER OF THE RI DGEVIEW ALUMNI ASSOCIATION STEERING COMMITTEE H.A.L.T. (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired) S T O R I E S B Y Johnny L. 3 Maureen M. 4 John W. 4 George M. 5 John W. 6 Bill 7 Terri L’H. 9 Doug F. 10 Tom S. 10 Mary R. 11 Anonymous 11 Anonymous 12 Steven F. 13 Puzzle 14 John W. 16 T H E R I D G E V I E W A L U M N I ASSOCIATION 3995 SOUTH C O B B D R I V E S M Y R N A G A 30080 T H E V I E W PAGE 2 U PCOMING E VENTS 6:30pm Friday, May 30, 2014 Ala-Non Speaker Meeting—Day Hospital Spring Fling Weekend 8:00pm Friday, May 30, 2014 AA Speaker Meeting—Day Hospital 12:00 noon Sunday, June 1, 2014 Alumni “Carnival” Event—Tennis / Pool Area Golf Tournament 8:00am Monday, June 2, 2014 Towne Lake Hills Golf Club—Woodstock, GA 1st Friday Speaker Meeting 7:45pm June 6, 2014 Day Hospital 1st Friday Speaker Meeting 7:45pm July 11, 2014 Day Hospital White Water Rafting 8:00am Sunday, July 20, 2014 Meet @ Pro North—Quest Expeditions—Ocoee, TN Atlanta Round Up Thursday, July 31, 2014 Westin Atlanta Perimeter North 1st Friday Speaker Meeting 7:45pm August 1, 2014 Day Hospital Summer Retreat 4:00pm Friday, August 8, 2014 Camp Donnie Brown Allatoona Round Up Friday, August 15, 2014 Hilton Garden Inn—Cartersville 1st Friday Speaker Meeting 7:45pm September 5, 2014 Day Hospital 1st Friday Speaker Meeting 7:45pm October 3, 2014 Day Hospital Men’s Workshop Friday, October 2014 Rock Eagle Georgia Pre-Paid Thurs., October 16, 2014 Jekyll Island Women’s Workshop Friday, October 2014 Rock Eagle—Date TBD 1st Friday Speaker Meeting 7:45pm November 1, 2014 Day Hospital Bowl—A—Thon 10:00am Sat. November 2014 Place & Date TBD Gratitude Dinner 5:00pm Sun, November 24, 2014 Gym 1st Friday Speaker Meeting 7:45pm December 6, 2014 Day Hospital Scottish Rite Santa 7:00am Thurs, Dec. 25, 2014 Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital New Years Eve Dance 8:00pm Wed., Dec. 31, 2014 Gym 1st Friday Speaker Meeting 7:45pm January 2, 2015 Day Hospital 1st Friday Speaker Meeting 7:45pm February 6, 2015 Day Hospital 1st Friday Speaker Meeting 7:45pm March 6, 2015 Day Hospital This issue, as well as archival copies, are available on our website at www.ridgeviewalumni.com. The Newsletter will be in an Adobe PDF format, our website will link to download the FREE Adobe Reader, allowing you to read and print the Newsletter at your leisure. Thank you to those who submitted articles for this edition of the Newsletter, if we have learned anything in Recovery it is that We cannot keep what we have if we do not give it away! If you would like to submit an article for the next Newsletter, please email it to Dawn Liistro at [email protected] using “Newsletter” in the subject line. Warren Taylor: Communications Chair Sean Cleary: Co-chair, Minutes Dawn B. Liistro: Chair Emeritus, Newsletter Formatter, & Proofreader Delores DeFreitas and Dorothy Seiden: Bulletin Boards John Wallace: Proofreader Barbara Wheeler: Endowment Fund & Communication VOLUME XXIV PAGE 3 D ON’ T T AKE Y OURSELF SO S ERIOUSLY Submitted by: Johnny L. Such an important thing to Such is the case when I helped my and thinking the worst... transmission remember. We all know the pain, stepson change the v8 engine in his blew? Engine blew? Speeding ticket? agony, and loss that got us here, but a 4x4 truck. I got to walk him through Stock market crashed? Gas is now lot of us forget to enjoy the ride now the steps of swapping the engines and $20.00 a gallon? that we are here. When I go to RE- we got it running. We didn't have He said "NO!!!!" With sincere BOS, they are always having outings time to finish it because the weekend panic "The Engine Fell Out Of the Back named, "We are not a was over and he had to go of the Truck!"....." And it’s in the mid- Glum Lot!" It is strange back to work. So I finished I was full of guilt, dle of the intersection!" that we alcoholics have to it up and straightened out remorse and cer- I didn't see that one coming. Okay at be reminded that it’s okay the loose ends. I put the tainly didn’t feel this point I head straight to load the to have fun. old engine in the back of his crane in my truck, dying laughing at worthy of having In the beginning truck and test drove it to the same time as I go to the intersec- fun. Especially the of being sober I was full of gas station and put some tion with my truck. As we are hoisting guilt, remorse and certain- last time.... gas in it. It felt good to give the engine into the back of my truck, I ly didn't feel worthy of him the call that his truck have tears in my eyes because I'm having fun. Especially the was fueled, test driven, and laughing so hard as the passing cars last time I came back from my relapse, ready to go. are taking pictures and asking how? adding shame to my list of horrible That following Saturday he The cop that passed even laughed. I'm feelings. But the program has been got a friend to give him a ride laughing now thinking of it truly healing. My sponsor's under- to our house to pick up his again LOL. I'm sure it was a standing, working the steps, meetings, truck. You could see he was The point in sight to see. networking, the big book, and of happy to finally have his truck all this is The point in all this course Ridgeview, has helped me done, so I threw him the keys s**t hap- is s**t happens. Good or learn to live my life sober and to be and said try it out, and off he pens. Good bad, make the best of it. You happy; I mean really happy. Life and went. or bad, make never know who is watching. sobriety ...working together, has been Not long and he was back. the best of it. My stepson gets to see that contagious. The first thing he said with it’s okay to enjoy life, no Rewards from this come in that deer in the headlight matter what may fall your the strangest directions. I get to help look.... " Johnny you’re not going to way and that I owe to AA. people. Sometimes in those endeav- believe what happened. " ors I get quite the priceless story. Of course I'm still an alcoholic T H E V I E W PAGE 4 H. A.L. T.! Submitted by: Maureen M. I was hungry to be fed and to be heard Ever angry, my soul screamed whenever stirred I was loneliest within familiar crowds And so tired that I lived nightmares out loud But something magic happened when I learned how to live again… Once fed up with hunger, I learned how to eat Serenity slapped my anger still Crowded out now, loneliness cried out sweet defeat No longer tired, I can face the real When I HALT, I’m not denied The tools to ever stronger stride Toward purpose, with God at my side T HESE R OOMS Submitted by: John W. A collection of individuals, strangers most Hailing from locales spanning each coast Individually managing a neural hot mess Spots of light amidst a creeping darkness. Gathering to confront the shivers of cold Shaking free the bonds that alcohol holds. Beams crossed in beautiful synergy Combining, building, exploding with energy Bring clarity, peace, and tranquility Via the building crescendo of soliloquy, To buttress the soul of collective sobriety Of a group purposefully shunning notoriety. Hands physically unite in concluding collective prayer Myriad voices melding to one for all to share From the communal fount of spirit So palpable that all can feel it. Another day of many spent one at a time Allowing through themselves God’s power to shine. VOLUME XXIV PAGE 5 C OOL T HOUGHTS FOR H OTHEADS Submitted by: George M. Righteous indignation is the wrote a letter to my father describing years, I felt guilty about certain feel- capacity to arouse anger when it my painful memories and angry feel- ings, such as anger, apathy, and even matters. When people are mistreated ings. I went to his grave and read the moments of happiness, from escaping and I don’t feel concerned, letter aloud. My emotions reality. In recovery, I learned guilt is I’m lacking compassion or in … my hot tem- took over and I was able to irrational, often buried inside, and denial. Anger moves me to per blinds me to feel the relief many years arises out of unrealistic expectations, action. But my hot temper reality and after his death. I knelt at his distorts the facts, and is usually over blinds me to reality and drives a wedge grave, the tears flowed, and things I cannot change. Forgiving my- drives a wedge between between others years of hurt and anger self, praying the Serenity Prayer, and others and me. I don’t find a and me.