I just watched the movie My Name is Bill W, and I was really impacted by this brief representation of Bill W’s life.
It was so hard to watch him get drunk over and over again and to apologize over and over again.
One of the best scenes is when Bill W explains his thoughts to his wife, Lo (see video clip). He wonders outloud why he drinks. He argues that he wants to be normal and explains how he tries to stop—but he ends with the insane reality that despite all of that—he still really just wants a drink.
The movie represented Bill W’s life, but it doesn’t stop there.
Aren’t we exactly the same? We enjoy the relaxed feeling of a couple drinks, but it’s not enough, and we drink more and more. In the meantime, our life is crumbling around us—relationships are damaged; jobs are lost. I think deep down we sense that our addiction is ruining our lives, but then we seek it as a cure for that ruin we see. O to break the vicious cycle! We certainly cannot seek a solution from the source of the problem.
Bill W never answered his question of why, but all that mattered was the present. He found something more powerful than himself that was able to win the battle he could not win. Then, he began to help other addicts in order to help himself.
We need to help other addicts too, because we are the only ones who understand the insane nature of the disease. When we help others, we can help ourselves like Bill W did. It doesn’t seem to make sense, but by focusing on other people, we forget our problems and no longer have to seek alcohol as an answer to them.
Help out someone today!
- Go to an AA meeting and encourage others there
- Find a recovery partner and call each other every time you want to drink
- Volunteer at a treatment center and show sobriety is possible