My journey in AA started nearly 5 years ago in Singapore. I don’t count the 2 or 3 months in 1998 in the USA where I was first introduced to the program,

because I was drinking and going to meetings. On second thought, it may have some relevance in the sense that after those 2 or 3 months I moved to Singapore and completely relapsed for what would become 7 plus years! It was suggested to me by a psychologist that maybe I had a drinking problem and that I should check out AA. I went to the meetings quite wholeheartedly, I remember, because down deep I knew there was something wrong.

Just married a few months before to a beautiful local woman, the future looked so bright: I could imagine that my new life with her in the USA or in Asia would be just great. This was on the outside, but down deep there was no peace of mind! Just before the 1st meeting with the counselor I was creating so much havoc and nonsense with my wife that we were still not able to live together …. all of this long distance and over the telephone which was costing us a small fortune!

I had heard about Alcoholism (but not AA), and surely wasn’t an alcoholic because I didn’t have a liver problem (can’t spell the disease), I never killed anyone and I had never been to prison! So how could I be an alcoholic? I don’t blame me. It’s damn difficult to see when I’m wrong. I can see when you’re wrong! That’s easy.

I landed in Singapore in November of 1999 and did lots of investigating. I got myself into this great program on July 11th 2006. Today, if I want a little peace of mind, I come to a meeting. If I want a lot of peace of mind, I come to meetings, do the steps and talk to my sponsor. I feel really great most of the time and I know that one day, when I want complete peace of mind, there is a recipe I can follow (my recipe, not everyone’s): Daily prayer and meditation, attend meetings, do service and be honest with my sponsor or another person and myself on a daily basis.

Thanks to this program of AA I have learned that it’s mostly my willingness (the wish) to do these things. I just “want change” and then it happens, I don’t do

much myself. So if you are new, try it, and if you are coming back, try it again, but this time let go.