Writing Prompt: Some Kind of Crazy

 Prompt: What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever heard that turned out to be true?

Some Kind of Crazy

I’ve heard about lots of crazy things in my day, some true, some false. As I sit here pondering our prompt to write about the craziest thing I’ve ever heard that turned out to be true, I’m tempted to discuss something like the two planes plowing into the World Trade Center in 2001. I was working on a news desk the morning that happened, and I’ve got a lot of vivid memories of that day.

But instead I’d like to reflect on something more timely, someone near to my heart. And some behavior that might not fit the loose definition of “crazy” but as members of AA, you might question like I do some things about this story. 

Next Sunday, Easter, marks my mom’s 40 year sober anniversary. She has not touched a drop of alcohol since a fateful Easter four decades ago, when she, a raging alcoholic, finally embarrassed herself so badly it sent her running to her first AA meeting the very next day. She would only stay in AA for about six months, before abandoning the program because of its message to relinquish self-will and turn things over to a Higher Power. That just wasn’t for mom, a rigid control freak in numerous matters.

Yet year in and year out, mom has stayed sober, using her will power to muscle through the obstacles she faces. As I suffered through numerous relapses in my own sober journey, mom has stayed true to her abstinence. Am I jealous? Sometimes. Then I think about a deeper question. Does mom have serenity? Is she at peace? I guess sometimes she is, but a lot of times she is wrestling with the demons plaguing those always trying to control outcomes. Am I better off than my mother?

Personally, I do think it’s kinda crazy if you’re an alcoholic and not relying on a 12-Step program and its principles to live a sober life. My own story has shown me that when I stray from the program, I inevitably relapse. Sure, people can and do stay sober without AA, my mom’s an example, and so is my husband. But I’m sitting here, shaking my head, thinking wow, this is crazy, mom hitting a 40 year milestone, without AA. It’s crazy, but it’s true. But is it something I want to emulate? Hitting a huge milestone like this without the fellowship? Hell no. 

I’m thinking how wonderful it would be for mom if only she had the fellowship of AA around her to celebrate this monumental occasion. So I went ahead and located this place in Indiana that sells special AA coins, and ordered a beautiful 40 year anniversary coin for mom. I’m going to give it to her on Easter, she has no idea, and I know she will be deeply touched. 

I guess I’d call white knuckling sobriety through will power some kind of crazy. I’ve been there myself, before I got a sponsor and started the steps, and it didn’t work out too well for me. But I’m proud of my mom and what she has accomplished. And recently I’ve got her repeating the Serenity Prayer with me. She still remembers it. There may be hope for mom yet.