The Story of How Many Thousands of Men and Women Have Recovered from Alcoholism
Pages
Chapter 1 –  Bill’s Story Chapter 2 – There Is A Solution Chapter 3 – More About Alcoholism Chapter 4 – We Agnostics Chapter 5 – How It Works Chapter 6 – Into Action Chapter 7 – Working With Others Chapter 8 – To Wives Chapter 9 – The Family Afterward Chapter 10 – To Employers Chapter 11 –A Vision For You
Search
Close this search box.

Chapter 8 - TO WIVES

sense of responsibility for others. You, as well as your husband, ought to think of what you can put into life instead of how much you can take out. Inevitably your lives will be fuller for doing so. You will lose the old life to find one much better.

Perhaps your husband will make a fair start on the new basis, but just as things are going beautifully he dismays you by coming home drunk. If you are satisfied he really wants to get over drinking, you need not be alarmed. Though it is infinitely better that he have no relapse at all, as has been true with many of our men, it is by no means a bad thing in some cases. Your husband will see at once that he must redouble his spiritual activities if he expects to survive. You need not remind him of his spiritual deficiency – he will know of it. Cheer him up and ask him how you can be still more helpful.

The slightest sign of fear or intolerance may lessen your husband’s chance of recovery. In a weak moment he may take your dislike of his high-stepping friends as one of those insanely trivial excuses to drink.

We never, never try to arrange a man’s life so as to shield him from temptation. The slightest disposition on your part to guide his appointments or his affairs so he will not be tempted will be noticed. Make him feel absolutely free to come and go as he likes. This is important. If he gets drunk, don’t blame yourself. God has either removed your husband’s liquor problem or He has not. If not, it had better be found out right away. Then you and your husband can get right down to fundamentals. If a repetition is to be prevented, place the problem, along with everything else, in God’s hands.

 

Page 120