ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

(Mr. A (name concealed at request) was a normal young man but was shy, He passed his technical exam and was employed at Bangalore in a well-known Electronic Company. He was the eldest child in a family of 5 and comes from very orthodox Iyengar family. Liberated from the strict disciplinary life at home he found the freedom overtake him soon by involving in drinks. He tells rest of the story himself. )


Srirangam is a well-known Vaishnavite Place. In 1940s people who lived around the
temple were all mostly employed in South Indian Railway. They belonged to Iyengar
community. I was born in one such family. I lost my mother at a very young age and was brought up by my father-a very orthodox man under strict disciplinary conditions.
I was born - when my father was 45-years old. My school days passed on without any
significant events. After the death of my mother my father didn’t marry for some time.

Problem started when my father re- married. He was always afraid that if he is not strict in discipline- his children might go astray. I did not like this attitude.
When I got a job at Bangalore I was very happy. I can lead my own life.

This is the first Turning Point in my life. Soon I found that the work environment is very conducive and I became a Supervisor and also elected as the Secretary of INTUC-Labor Association of the Factory. Slowly power started corrupting me. I started moving with elite circles where Drinks moved freely.


Due to the style of living I adopted, I could not send money to my father-though I know that the family needed my income badly. Helpless and guilty conscious I am -. I started to drink with friends.


My father arranged my marriage. This is the second turning point. For some time my marriage life went on smoothly. Once my wife came to know my drinking habits, trouble started. She is a village girl. When she saw Bangalore life- she was carried away. But things went on normally till I got my first child – a girl.


Needs of family grew so also my drinking. There was trouble with management and I
was forced to quit the job after a stint with a Company at Delhi, I joined a Company at Chennai as Marketing Manager. I used to travel very often and stayed at Star hotels. Elite businessmen visited for business and in their company my drinking habit grew fast. I continued to drink in the house also. I took lot of leaves and stayed in the house to drink and gave false excuses. Management took seriously my absence and I lost the job again.


Now I have become a drunkard. I started beating my wife suspecting her fidelity. My
family life was shattered and I did not know where to go.Left jobless and growing children at my side – I was praying God to save me. At that time my Sister came forward to rescue me. This is the third Turning Point in my life.


Helped by my brother-in-law and sister I saw a New Hope. He took me one day to the
lecture of Chinmayandha. I was so captivated by his emotional spiritual appeal – I was able to see a New World again. My brother-in-law took me to Alcoholics Anonymous – an organization meant for people like me.

The President of AA used to address our gathering- starting as I am a drunkard. He used to tell as how God came to the rescue of desperate people like him when the whole world was lost to them. That night I had a dream that Lord Venkateswara came and assured me that good days are to come shortly. This is the Fourth Turning Point. I started attending the lectures of Chinmaya. Gyana and Bakthi grew very strongly in me.


I wasted my life all these years. After making arrangements for the family I resigned to be a sanyasin and joined Chinmaya mission and went to Rishikesh School to undergo training in Veda and Yoga. I am now completely transformed.

Footnote: The family of A is now well settled. 2-Sons are in States and 2-daughters are happily married.


Analysis: It was a misfortune some children deprived to get mother’s care when it was
urgently needed. Strict Discipline sometimes drives the children to extremism. There is always hope for desperate people – only if they identify the demon in them and prepared to face the challenge with courage. They will at the end succeed.


· Some times strict discipline imposed on child will have the opposite effect.

· Drink to a certain extent helps to conceal the deficiency in man but in the long
run it is a killer.
· Drunkards should have a strong will and courage to come out of it.
· Society has a responsibility to help such people to reform.

Jagannathan