Geographics

The other morning I was sitting in a coffee shop one block from the ocean in Santa Barbara. At four a.m. conversations can get a little strange. This is nothing unusual. Strange conversations are pretty common here. Got to consider where you're at.

While sitting in this coffee klatch, a recent acquaintance of mine remarked: "I went to Aspen to get away from drugs". What? Needless to say, I and the rest of the group broke into laughter. Later, when I thought about, I knew what he met.

AA is inundated with platitudes. " No matter where you go, there you are" is used frequently to discouraged geographical moves. They claim they don't work. I beg to differ. If done the right way, they can help recovery tremendously. Let me give you an example.

A few years ago, I knew a person that was having problems with alcohol. They realized that they would never quit drinking in the environment they were in. They legally changed their name, moved to a town where no one knew them, told no one where they were going, and told no one where they were from. They, in essence, "disappeared". They remained sober for five years. Draw your own conclusions.