In an  earlier blog,  “Temptation”, I mentioned the importance I try to place on avoiding slippery places: the places that involve alcohol in some manner. Well, I am very good about identifying those places and avoiding them but I  sometimes make mistakes which could be detrimental to my sobriety.  Just the other day , against my better judgement found myself in two situations I should have avoided. The first being a grocery store that I do not frequent that often. I was looking for soda and in this store it happened to be in the aisle with alcohol. Instead of just avoiding the aisle, like my gut told me,  I entered the area anyway. As minor as that may sound I must always remember that the protection against drinking should always be of most importance.

Now I want to share a very poor decision that I made just the other day. I went to a local  family restaurant to place a “to go” order for lunch.  As I approached the to go area I was soon greeted by a young woman who said she would take my order at the bar when I was ready. My first thought was to say I would like to place my order here at the counter but I did not. Instead I approached the bar and had a seat. My order was taken and she gave me  a soda to drink. Now  I didn’t have any thought about drinking, as  I watched the overhead TV. However the danger was in that this used to be the same chain variety restaurant and bar the I would frequent in my darkest days of drinking. I usually found myself opening the bar at 11 am and being drunk by noontime while holding back tears from despair over my life. As I stated in my book, ” I was an alcoholic on display on any given bar stool.” This could have been  devastating,  In addition I did not even pray to God for his protection nor did I remind my self that ” I don’t have to live that way anymore” , with regards to my drinking lifestyle, as I always do when alcohol is in my sight. You see, I was blinded by the power of my disease. I must not make this mistake ever again. Even though I did not pray at the bar I now God was with me.   God saved me that day but I must always remember to do my part of avoiding those “slippery places” at all  cost. If I don’t my sobriety could be in jeopardy. Thanks for reading my blog. May God bless you always.