“I have had many men who had, for example, worked a period of months on some problem or business deal, which was to be settled on a certain date favorably to them. They took a drink a day or so prior to the date, and then the phenomenon of craving at once became paramount to all other interests so that the important appointment was not met.” – Dr. Silkworth, Alcoholics Anonymous, “The Doctor’s Opinion”
While I was living in Boston, a friend told me about a fantastic job opportunity at a respected organization in the San Francisco Bay area. The initial phone interview went very well, and I was chosen as a finalist for the position. The hiring committee decided to fly me across the country for the final interview, and I stayed with my friend for a couple of days.
I was very nervous on the day of the interview, and as the time approached to leave, I walked into my friend’s kitchen. On the counter I noticed an attractive jar that contained sugar and flour items. I walked over to the counter, took the lid off the jar, and stuck my hand inside. Although I should have been on my way to the interview, I stood there and hurriedly ate sugar and flour items as the minutes ticked by.
That morning, as I stood in my friend’s kitchen shoving my face full of sugar and flour, I exhibited the craving that Dr. Silkworth describes in the AA Big Book. As a result of my food addiction, I arrived at the job interview late—and flustered. The sugar and flour were poisoning the functioning of my brain. That night I received the phone call from the interview committee: they had given the job to another finalist. My addictive eating had cost me a very good job for which I was highly qualified and the best candidate available.
Some time later, I spoke with a member of the interview committee. The person they’d hired had not worked out. She said they should have hired me, as I was more qualified for the position.
Fast-forward several years. By then I had been abstinent in FA for three years and had been in strong food recovery programs for nine years. My weight was steady at around 130 pounds, down from my top weight of 170. The up-and-down weight fluctuation, which marked my teen and early adult years, had disappeared.
Out of the blue, I received a phone call from someone I hadn’t seen in a decade. The caller asked me to apply for a job at a widely respected organization. Although I already had a full-time position, I took the suggestion of my sponsor and showed up for the initial interview. At both of my interviews for that job, I arrived early, and my manner was abstinent and calm. The organization made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.
As I write this article, I have been working at that organization for over three years and I just received a major promotion. I am earning significantly more money than I have ever earned in my life. More important than the money, however, is the deep gratitude I feel when I realize that my Higher Power has given me a life of sane and happy usefulness. My employer’s confidence in me, and the recognition of my abilities, shows me that when I am abstinent, I can truly be of service in all of my affairs.