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Alister Mackinnon
My Autobiography.
Born in the Hebrides of the west coast of Scotland ,on the Isle Skye Being brought up by my granma and living by the sea gave me the thirst for a career on the ocean .I left sch...ver maisMy Autobiography.
Born in the Hebrides of the west coast of Scotland ,on the Isle Skye Being brought up by my granma and living by the sea gave me the thirst for a career on the ocean .I left school at the age of fourteen years old.
At that early age I went fishing on trawlers, This was a hard life and dangerous at times ,but the money was good . ,so at my young age I started to drink alcohol and within a short time alcohol was controlling my life by 19 years .At that age I was know as the local drunk, and found it hard to keep a job in the fishing fleet.
For the first time in my life I encountered dts an experience that frightened me , but after a few days I would improve then back drinking again. While on a bender my gran ma died , she was all I had,she never had the privilege to experience my sobriety.
One Sunday evening while returning to my fishing boat I fell over the side, I managed to hold on to the side until a crew member heard my cry, and pulled me to safety.As I waited to be rescued the radio which was on with amazing grace was being played.I believe God had a hand in my rescue .
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This fear did not stop my desire to continue to drink, I continued to be a slave to booze .By my mid twenties I looked an old men but believed some day I would overcome the slavery to drink.I experienced my first of 30 times in a mental hospital, many in my ward had mental problems at that time I did not recognise my state and where drink had taken me .
Was death round the corner for me ,my grandma was right so often times she warned me about the wide road to destruction and being separated from God.I only drank heavy I caused no one any harm where was the sin ,I didn't steal I wasn't violent . But guilt gave me many nights of restless sleep.
It was time to leave and search for a better job and a new start in life So I decided to head to Aberdeen in Scotland where the oil was booming and jobs plentiful and money was good. all these years I remembered the God of my grandma and
The Cristian way she brought me up.i would start afresh where no one knew me I would manage to cover up my past and act normal,that was very hard because I was never normal I could find many to blame for my drinking but at the end of the day I was the one who lifted the glass to my lips.
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Working on the oil rigs was the dream job ,two weeks working two weeks holiday every month.Hitting the bottle again was always going to happen,a new environment did not change the cravings the ,guys around me soon found out that I wasn't a normal drinker .covering up my drinking was becoming very visible.
Getting into debt was a serious problem to me ,Fast cars fancy cloth trying to look the sober guy.everybody thought I didn't have care in the world. all ways laughingly loving country music,at the end of the night I had to drink myself to sleep and in the morning a drink to get motivated .unknown to others.
In my late thirties I was involved in a hit and run accident that resulted in being in and out of hospital for three years .At the time of the accident I was due to go to Saudi Arabia to work, but due to the accident I was unable to go , sadly six of my colleagues were killed on there way there.This played on my conscience for along time
A large pay out from insurance gave me the financial freedom to spend and drink big.While drunk I bought a
catering business this was great I was now a business man employed several staff a sport car and a jeep,a place many people would give there right arm to be in my position but sadly with poor management heavy drinking rising debt saw me back on skid row in less than 18 month .
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During this time I was diagnosed with seriousess of the liver and unless I stopped drinking I would be dead in 2 years ,this was a serious blow to my mental health.Eighty thousand pound in debt with two years to live and homeless outside my family island.
Where were my drinking friend and those I lent large sums of money ,to . The long lonely days In hospital gave me time to reflect on the wasted years ,the embarrassment to my family.especially in a close knit island where people talk.Where do I from here ,the pub to drink and drown my sorrows,it was all I knew ,sad very sad a man with no vision.
As my circle of friends dwindled to just a few , when your money is gone friends will stick by you , but the hanger ons disappear.
One Sunday night around 7pm as I drank alone, with few people around , I felt convicted regarding my past life and wasted years.I was urged to leave and enter a nearby church.why was I there ,when the service was over I was given some literature ,which I brought back to the Bar to read.with a drink in one hand and gospel material in the otherFor some reason the alcohol did have the same effect.drink and I were about to separate it didn't happen overnight .The hour came when I laid it down for the last time
As my life of sobriety began to take shape by weeks and months I begun to see the sunrise from a different
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prospective.I met a woman who was going to be my wife,the adjustment was very hard ,responsibility was a new thing to me .Going to church every Sunday , helping others who were in my position was a great achievement for an ex drunk.
After a few years of marriage my wife took Sick and required a major operation ,sadly she never came threw the operation a sad blow , she was a wife a mother ,and then she was gone. A few month latter my mum died as did my close friend , I large whole in my life.Going back was an option that I feared.
An opportunity to go to the eastern block to work with .street children this was a great challenge but very demanding
An opportunity of a job in the in Arizona in weld inspection the hot weather was hard to work in ,eventually I was transferred to Ohio.It was here I med my second wife ,I joined her in a bible collage, I studied there for almost 4 years leaving with honours was Wonderfull .Today I preach the gospel across Scotland and return yearly preach at the collage in Ohio.
In2016 I set up the north sea garden mission,to help the offshore men to be aware of addiction .gardenmission org the website is a lighthouse to the lost , I thank Christ for giving me the opportunity to serve him.
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Today at 67 years I still roam the oil rigs working and presenting my passion for Christ and putting across the message of sobriety.if one person can find Christ or one person quits booze then it was worth whiles setting up..
My biggest challenge was writing a book.This only happened when an African woman told me she dreamed of me writing a great book,twenty years on God has given me the platform and the inspiration to write,leaving school at 14 with no education ,I feel this can inspire others who were nobodies like me.
To grasp there life by there shoe strings and push beyond the mark of the high calling.I remember my first drink at fifteen on the Isle of Skye, and my last drink in Aberdeen Scotland today29 years ago ,sobriety against the odds
COME ON ,IF I CAN DO IT ,YOU CAN , GIVE SOBRIETY A CHANCE
Additional information
regarding the setting of the story, some words such as Seonaid, Gaelic for Joan, uisdean Gaelic for Hugie,crunch na moine Gaelic for hill of peat , drumnadrocht the name of a small village.the story shows the awareness of alcohol, within the home.The rural way of living in the western Islands is a lay back way of life with alcohol is part of that life, some times making religion part of that balance which is sad. In many areas this lifestyle has not changed I hope this puts some light on the book.ver menos