We are not cured of alcoholism. What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition.

The most common alcoholic fantasy seems to be: "If I just don’t drink, everything will be all right." Once the fog cleared for me, I saw – for the first time – the mess my life had become. I had family, work, financial and legal problems; I was hung up on old religious ideas; there were sides of my character to which I was inclined to stay blind because they easily could have convinced me that I was hopeless and pushed me toward escape again. The Big Book guided me in resolving all of my problems. But it didn’t happen overnight – and certainly not automatically – with no effort on my part. I need always to recognize God’s mercy and blessings that shine through any problem I have to face.