Everything in moderation

A friend of mine is trying the moderation plan. Apparently, they have meetings too, though he hasn't been to one yet.

Their premise is do no harm: to yourself, or to others. Don't drink and drive. Don't put yourself in dangerous situations. Don't drink when you're angry. Try to cut back a little.

We talked about it on our run today (yes, I run and smoke). And then he told me how drunk he got on Thursday. He showed me the bump on his head and the bruises, but has no recollection of getting them, or getting home. Not exactly moderation.

I believe in this abstinence system. My whole problem with alcohol was that I couldn't self moderate. I couldn't just have ONE drink, I had to have 20. I used to drink with him, and we had 4 bottle Fridays and weekends where my recycle bin would fill to the brim. He's not so great at moderation, either. He also talked about only drinking whiskey, or only drinking wine.

In the Big Book they talk about how a lot of us tried this system, and maybe it worked for a while, but it always failed eventually. I'm thankful for the steps and the fellowship in AA, which seem to make it possible for me to be on day 52. I don't think moderation works for alcoholics, but I'll keep you posted on his progress.