How Many Years?

Secret Society — Cards against normality prompt: Your hero has stumbled upon a dark conspiracy - or perhaps he's been part of it all along.

Who runs the group? Is your hero vying for leadership, or is he a threat in some other way?

How do group members identify each other? List some gestures, clothing or other signals they might use. If your hero tried to take it, what could go wrong?

List rituals or practices that are special to the group.

Is the group trying to expand, or remain exclusive? What might they do to protect their secrets?

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This is allowed in public - I am a woman in long term recovery. What that means for me is that I have been in recovery of the family disease of alcoholism for 48 years and not using alcohol or drugs for 46 years.

What isn't allowed is breaking anyone's anonymity at the level of press, radio, or film, including your own. This story includes that as it is similar close to press, so suffice it to say that my hero is not me in this story.

My hero is anyone with a drinking problem that gives Alcoholics Anonymous a good try. Six meetings are recommended to see if it is a fit for you. My hero went to those six meetings, met my cousin, and my cousin offered to be his sponsor, in those first few meetings.

My cousin was not well, but he lived a long and happy life. His kids were raised and he was enjoying his grandchildren, and great grandchildren. After 9 months of sponsoring my hero, my cousin died.

Lyle (not his real name as he is an anonymous hero), wasn't sure how he would do without his sponsor. They got close and my cousin was so helpful. That is when another man stepped up, and offered to be his sponsor.

My hero now has one year and 9 months clean and sober. His sponsor is a snowbird though and has plans to move south for the winter. That is a bit of a concern to Lyle. I let him know he will be fine, but he isn't sure. I let him know that there are many snowbirds in our midst, and that it works out.

There is the phone, that includes facetime, and there are others that he has gotten to know. He then said that they have been working the steps, and he doesn't know how he is going to make amends to people in Alaska, as that is where he did the majority of his drinking, and drug use.

So, they are working on steps eight and nine was my thought. Okay, the steps are so important in this secret society. Without working on the steps of the program, people relapse, or go back to drinking and often times die.

The steps is the part of the program to help the member work toward a spiritual program. The bottom line is that is really what this secret society is.

We chatted about that for just a few minutes, and I could see him calm down. I couldn't help but think about my brother, who is in substance abuse treatment right now. My wishes for him would be to find the same secret society that my hero found.

The secret society is worldwide. They follow the same steps and traditions worldwide. Groups do have autonomy, except when it harms other groups, or the society as a whole.

Many members relate to the comment of someone saying that they are a friend of Bill.

It took many years to get the program worked out. The result is it works for so many. Not everyone will make it. The program has room for so many more, and it is open to anyone who has a desire to stop drinking. That is the only requirement for membership.

My hero will make it. And for my brother, only time will tell. This secret society is to help those that want out of their current nightmare. I didn't know that I was in one, as there was always someone who had it worse around me.

Today, I know that I wouldn't have lived past 30, if I wouldn't have found the support I found in this secret society.

Author's note: This is me practicing fiction. The names have been changed, and still there is truth sprinkled throughout.