Hi my name is Jane, and I'm an alcoholic.

Gratitude is not something I walked in with. When I walked into AA, I was a 'witchy brat.' All of you were happy and I wasn't. And you weren't drinking either. Happy and not drinking? How could that be? I just wanted to stop drinking. Then I started listening to some of the shares from some of these happy people, and they all seem to share one thing ... the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous and the Steps. Someone stressed getting a sponsor. I was in enough pain to be willing to do anything suggested to feel better. Pain is a great motivator, and I was beaten into a state of reasonableness. So I began with my sponsor. We read one chapter a week from the Big Book and went through it. When we got to the Steps and I actually did them with the guidance of my sponsor, I quickly started to feel much better. This is a spiritual program of action, ad to me gratitude is an action word. Faith without works is dead. I must freely give what was freely given to me through you loving people, my sponsor, and ultimately my God. Thank you!

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