Guest Post By Mr. Un-Tipsy

This is a post about thanks.

I want to thank everyone who has reached out to Un-Tipsy Teacher over the past few years to offer help, prayers, suggestions or just warm heartfelt wishes.  All of these acts let her know that she is not in this alone.
Dancing The Night Away! (Well until 10:30!)

Un-Tipsy Teacher began her struggle for sobriety over two and a half years ago.  After several earlier attempts to quit drinking had failed, she realized that she couldn’t do it all alone. This time she opened herself up to everyone and began to write about her life with and without alcohol.  She invested time, energy and herself in her recovery.  She explored AA, Women for Sobriety, family, friends and read sober blogs.  She reached out for help in many directions.  What she found was a vast community of generous people who shared her struggles and offered hope.  She found support from family, friends and complete strangers.  I’m always amazed at the support shown for Un-Tipsy Teacher’s struggles from all of the many folks on the internet.  People who read and comment on her blog have had a major impact on her well-being and her continued success in maintaining sobriety.  As she reads other sober blogs about peoples’ struggles and successes she learns something new which helps her understand something about her own life.  She feels a kinship with other people.  She shares the joy in their successes and feels a loss when they struggle.  She is invested in each one of you.   Un-Tipsy Teacher looks forward to comments each time she posts a new blog.  She shares these thoughts with me and always yearns to reach out and help these people any way she can.  She has met many people at AA meetings and other areas of her life who have shared their successes and failures. This is the strength of the sober community.  It’s also the strength that is out there for anyone willing to seek help in their fight for sobriety.

Un-Tipsy Teacher found that the help is there but you have to ask for it.  She had the courage to open up her life and she received the strength and support that she needed and still needs.  The point is, if you open yourself up to ask for help you’ll find it but only if you are willing to work for it.  Recovery isn’t a “one size fits all” process.  I think that means you may need to look at as many options as possible until you find something that works for you.  It might be one thing that helps or it might be a combination of things but something will work, you just need to keep looking until you find it.  Once you find it, hold on tight and never forget why you started this struggle in the first place.

I’m grateful to all of you who have helped and continue to offer help to Un-Tipsy Teacher along the way.  It is this strength of community which can help all of us.

Thank you.

Mr. Un-Tipsy

Comments

  1. What a lovely post from two lovely people! Two and half years is so impressive and inspiring to us who follow in your foot steps. I would probably still be struggling if I had not a picture of a better future painted for me by you and others. So happy to have found such a wonderful support network too. :)

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    Replies
    1. We say thank you!
      It has been so much better for both of us!
      xo

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    2. So awesome! Go you - both of you! I don't get out of my own blog into the comments of others nearly as much as I'd like these days but I absolutely -had- to give a shout-out to my biggest cheerleader. Thanks! You are farther enough along the path to be really inspirational.

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    3. You are doing great, Sam!
      Thank you!
      xo

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  2. Oh my Wendy and Mr UT -
    I am incredibly touched by such a loving post. You are both very lucky to have each other and Wendy is indeed an amazing person.

    She steps outside the comfort zone and has the courage to be honest about how she feels which is such an important help to not only herself but others.

    Life isn't easy and reaching out without judgement is the opposite of alcoholic selfish behaviour. Having to face demons sober, it's so hard.

    Wendy you are strong, kind and utterly cool.

    Michelle xxxxxxxxxx

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Michelle.
      We are so very thankful we have each other.
      We have gotten closer since I have gotten sober.
      xo

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  3. She helps and supports us all and I'm so grateful to have her support.

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  4. Lovely post.

    Often in recovery the partners are forgotten. I went to rehab and for 6 weeks was 24x7 in a recovery environment that via a Minnesota model encouraged us to embed ourselves in a recovery community. When I left rehab I was out at AA meetings almost every night. My wife attend 3 or 4 family groups for a couple of hours at the rehab went once to Al-Anon (never again!) and was then just left almost a bystander in my process.

    I've said it before - I'll say it again. Early recovery is exceptionally hard for the partners and the families.

    I'm lucky mine stuck with it and me - we did have rows, my wife was jealous of AA and that these people could help me where she had so desperately wanted to help me for so long and not be successful.

    Now she might just say "Are you going to the meeting tonight/tomorrow/Monday?" I take that as code as - there's something up with you, they help you go there figure yourself out.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Graham.
      I know it was hard for Mr. UT at first.
      I was going all over the city looking for meetings.
      And he was still so hurt, that it took many days for him to start to trust me again.
      I am so lucky too, as he stuck with me.
      Now we are closer than we ever were.
      I am so grateful for him.
      xo

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  5. It is so nice to hear the love and support in your writing.
    You have a great wife. She deserves it.
    It hard to understand why some of us got sucked into addictive behaviour and others don't. It's sometimes hard to not blame oneself for being weak.
    But it just isn't like that. It's so much less obvious. I wish I could have seen my own behaviour. But I just couldn't. I was lost.

    Having the confidence of our loved ones means a lot. That's how we heal.

    I think the two of you have an amazing future ahead of you. One day at a time!

    Anne

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    1. Thank you, Anne.
      He read all of the comments, but I am writing replies.
      One day at a time for sure!
      Our marriage is so much better, even stronger than when we were younger, and before my drinking crossed the line!
      xo

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  6. So lucky to have Wendy and you, Mr. Tipsy, as part of My sober network.*

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