My name is Nancy and I am a member of the Auchterarder group. First of all I’d like to say that becoming a member of AA has been the best thing that has happened to me. I have to include my family who have always been around to help me in so many ways, but first of all the First Step had to come from myself and keeping me sober, one day at a time. I came into the Fellowship a good few days ago when I was in my forties and it was the right time for me and I always say that age doesn’t matter, having now reached a mature 71 .

I was broken up with alcohol, guilt and all the other things that go along with being a suffering alcoholic. Trying to hold down a job and rearing three children, I never knew that there was any help until I was at my rock bottom. That is when AA came into my life and I have been holding on to it ever since. Keeping sober, being reliable and making the necessary changes has opened many doors for me and my life has become worthwhile. Everything takes time when you learn about yourself and begin to put things right, a day at a time. It’s a great feeling today living an honest life. I can’t tell lies about anyone or else I will suffer very badly with my head.

AA has taught me not to judge anyone no matter who they are. It has been a learning programme and every day in life is a challenge without all the baggage that I used to carry around, making it so much easier to cope with. There are always going to be times when things are not so good, but we can deal with them and experience the good things that were promised if we stayed sober, kept attending meetings and helped the newcomers. People matter to me today and my family have all grown up but have still been around me over the years of sobriety and are getting on with their own lives, so it is a good life being sober and happy.

We have a good strong group in Auchterarder and have had a lot of new members in the last few years. Living each day in the day makes life so much easier. I thank God, as I understand Him, for giving me this sober life and allowing me to become the person I always wanted to be.

Going to my home group meeting every week keeps me in touch with all the people that I have met over the years and being able to share the good and not so good things in life with each other keeps our lives on track and the well-being of our Fellowship. We can never be prepared for all the things that happen but with the teachings of our Fellowship we can be ready to help each other by sharing our experience, strength and hope.
Even if I think I can’t possibly share something, then that’s the time I find someone that I have great respect for who will never say to me, “I told you so”. I have been given the tools to work with and it’s up to me to use them. With the guidance of AA I will always get there and with respect for myself and others I’ll see progress. We only get this one chance at life and I’m glad that I was chosen for this new way of living.

Staying away from one drink, one day at a time seemed too easy to do, but things were not so easy. I’m glad I gave it my best shot to become a normal human being living in the world, as it now makes my life a lot easier each day. Everything that was painful feels so much better.

Now I know how to behave in situations that used to baffle me. My heart will always tell me when I know that I’ve behaved in a way that has either upset someone or have let myself be upset; always being able to put things right as soon as possible and not letting it fester to become bigger than it actually was. Also getting rid of old negative feelings and replacing them with good positive ones makes life more comfortable.

I hope that you will come to see us at our Auchterarder meeting sometime. We are fortunate people to have this new way of living.. Hold on to it - it is very precious and will never be replaced with anything as good as our AA programme.

To all my friends in the Fellowship, I hope that we will meet sometime soon.

Nancy, Auchterarder Group