Last year at this time, I penned a “This Too Shall Pass,” post right at this time of year.  At that time, I believe the Delta variant was in full swing, or maybe it was Alpha, Beta.  Who knows now, right?  I was thinking last year, that there would be an end to this but here we are a year later, still learning to live in the midst of a pandemic.  We are still dealing with the consequences, albeit in a slightly better position with the vaccine now available.  However, I think I personally have reached a point of resignation that this “new” normal is now just normal.  Instead of “This Too Shall Pass,” maybe it should be “This Too Shall Change.”

I must say looking back over time since all of this madness started, I’ve seen some real acts of strength and bravery.  People have stepped up, helped each other out, and made some choices and set boundaries to protect their health and wellbeing.  That’s all part of what it means to be sober, in the end, really. I have seen sober women combat loneliness and isolation by hosting a small meeting of women at home.  People have cooperated by wearing masks when necessary in larger groups and we have, in many ways, moved on, somewhat in fits and starts.  But that’s okay.  In many ways, that is how sobriety itself works.  We take some advice from people who know and have experience, we try and verify for ourselves and put it into a working part of our lives.  Sometimes it’s messy, just like getting sober is not magic yellow brick road to happiness.  It takes effort, work and sometimes a bit of backsliding, as long as I can stay away from that first drink.

So much of what I have learned in the program can apply to so many things in my life if I just open my eyes, ask the right questions, stay in touch with a sponsor and the program.  Thinking creatively, talking to others, sharing experience, strength and hope can give me ideas to continue to enrich my program no matter what is happening.  For example, thanks to the proliferation of online meetings, I have a much greater choice of where I can attend a meeting without ever leaving my living room. What a gift!!  Fewer in-person meetings has pushed me to pick up the phone more often and meet with others one-on-one.  Yes, things keep changing but the program can continue to light the way in the face of uncertainty.

Have a superb New Year as we trudge our way to a happier 2022.

Here are a few New Years Even Sober Events

• The Coffee Maker New Years Eve Sober Party
• Party Smarty NYE Sober Soiree
• 39th Street in Holland Michigan is also hosting a party, details coming soon.

Strategy for keeping your New Year Eve sober

• Party with a sober friend
• Find a sober event
• Find a special non-alcoholic drink that you can toast the New Year too.  Mine is tonic water with a lime.
• Create your own party
• Make a NYE gratitude list
• Do something totally different like ice skating
• Order dinner in, and watch a movie with a friend

New Year’s Eve does not have to mean drinking, or missing out on the fun.