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Post Info TOPIC: Growing Along Spiritual Lines


Veteran Member

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Growing Along Spiritual Lines
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When I was a young child I'd wake up in the night crying...and complain to my mother that I had cramps in my legs...she told me that was because I was growing and getting bigger...She'd often take me down to Macy's in N.Y. where I was fitted with a new pair ofr Buster Brown shoes...the older ones didn't fit because I was growing..

I've read several posts and replies of people who don't feel they are being treated properly in the rooms...You know they just need to suck it up and stop complaining.. Its all part of spiritual growth and we have very little control over other people...but don't let critisism discourage you against meetings, life and people at times seem unfair...but they have their problems too..some are sicker than others and or have fallen in their program for one reason or another.

Recently I celebrated 41 years of sobriety...I found a name on Face Book of someone in the program whom I knew for 35 years...I went through her friends list and found 15 people all whom I knew in the program at least 30years..It was like a trip down memory lane...It was like my family returned to me a few I knew sober over 50 years whom I knew very well and I guess knew of my lifestyle as a sailor..My family have all passed away. There is a sense of freedom associated with that... I can go anyehere that I want to and do just that on my boat..reading and writing in peace..

I wrote each one through Face Book..Thanking them ....I never heard from ANYONE...I also made them aware that where I am there is no AA..suggestive that it would be nice to here from them...NOT ONE REPLY...I didn't want anything just a warm reply would have done wonders to my spirit..NOTHING.."I've always been an honorable person or tried to be.

I was not devistated but hurt...I felt in fact that to them I never even existed in those 25-30 years that to them I was dead...but I'm not dead I'm alive and  what did I do to deserve that treatment reserved for the dead. I felt discarded as a piece of garbage...but nothing I could do about it

Certainly that would not be my response to anyone...JUST IGNORE THEM? I would have gotten back to someone in my old group ASAP..."Even if I didn't know them well or even liked them...just for old times sake..NOTHING

Like my mother dragging me to the department store...I grew out of the old shoes I guess... It's time for a new pair....part of life

I may owe my sobriety to AA and owe a lot to those individuals that I highly valued.. but I owe my life to my Mother and Father..and the direction from God. I'm well aware of thar now..People in AA will let you down..I've ran into that more than once. Perhaps it has something to do with our seemingly prevelent narcisistic natures..

Today has been a bad day...but all is fundamentally well..I know that spiritually, new shoes sometimes hurt when you first put them on...and people will often let you down for one reason or another...but we are lucky..we have the steps to press on.

 I have much to be grateful for.

 

 

 



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Senior Member

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Hello Amigo! You are correct- people do let you down...so good to know the Higher Power will never fail you, no matter what. Congrats on so many sober years! One day at a time adds up to many good, sober years. Your story touched my heart, I'm sorry for the lack of response from your old friends...but you have new friends that you haven't met yet. I've been discovering lately that trips down memory lane are bittersweet and it feels better to look ahead than behind. Many happy journeys to you! Jerricka

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MIP Old Timer

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I just wanted to echo Jerricka's reply ... and add that I, too, must be careful of my expectations of the actions, or non-actions, of others ...

I don't know how long you waited for a response, but I've done similar, and the responses came much later ... some had medical issues due to age, and some had big changes in their lives that gave them little time to spend replying to computer posts ... I have periods like that myself ... in fact, I'm still going through that right now ... I recently finished 2 months of radiation treatment that still causes extreme fatigue every few days ... so much so that for a couple days I'll only get outta bed just to lay on the couch all day, getting up to get a drink or go to the bathroom ... that's all the strength I could muster ... I didn't even think about getting on the computer ... not at all ...

So, be patient, some may still reply when they catch up on their email ... if not, no worries! ...


Love ya and God Bless,
Pappy



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'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'



MIP Old Timer

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I feel that way sometimes. But last night I needed AA not for alcoholism but support. My grandson was born without a pulse. He was revived and put on life support. I could not pray properly or call the church. All I could do was cry heart out. Every time I spoke to someone I could only weep. When I got to my AA group we shared and shared. A member had just lost her mom and was with us. As one by one we shared our afflictions, God was with us. I went home and slept like a baby. I got up in the morning with such a wonderful feeling of God's presence. It provided so many answers to all my challenges on hand.

For me in the past 26 years God has always spoken to me through AA and mostly through the newcomers. I don't have a circle of friends in AA, I have circle of newcomers. They are the strongest ones.

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But for the grace of God.
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