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Post Info TOPIC: HAVING HAD A BALL GAME EXPERIENCE.......


MIP Old Timer

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HAVING HAD A BALL GAME EXPERIENCE.......
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When I read Bill's Story, the part where Ebby takes him through the steps as they then existed, I am struck by the combination of speed and effect. Putting myself in his shoes I well remenber the massive burdens I was carrying, misery, guilt, remorse, shame, frustration, fear, alienation, hopelessness, inability to think, built up over several years. Then, in the space of a few hours I am given hope, understanding, forgiveness, love, and I confess to my friend, unburden my soul, face my fears and defects, confront the things I had been hiding from for years.... This is major stuff, it would represent a huge emotional release. Is it any surprise that something else of great moment occured?

My wife used to love the local ball game. She would take the children and they would go for the whole show, which they found to be a thrilling emotional experience. Lots of others found it the same. When our team lost, the windows in my shop mught get broken. It meant that much to some. It was a complete package. The build up, the suspense, the ceremony, the individual plays of the game, elation, disappointment, pain, fear, it's all there. A real "WOW" experience.

Staying with the ball game, what would it be like if... The crowd fills the stadium, the cheerleaders come out, the suspense builds, the fans are cheering, the team runs onto the field, the players take their positions and the game is just about to start, when the ref blows his whistle and says that's enough for today, come back next weeek and we'll do the next part. The following week the crownd reutrns, the palyers resume their place and the first play commences. It's looking good for the home team, a spectacular demonstartion of skill puts their man in a position to score.. The ref blows his whistle, "come back next month and we'll see what happens"

How many of the crowd would come back? What would this approach do to the fundamanetal emotional reasons for the fans to attend the game?

I think this is quite a good analogy for taking time with the steps. Remembering that the steps are a way of life, that we are never really done with them, why is it that we like to delay the beneficial effect of learning the principles and reaping the beneifits especially of the house cleaning steps. What do we gain by delay? Don't we actually risk watering down or avoiding altogether the kind of experience that Bill and other early members had? Can delay take the oomph out of recovery like it would out of a ball game?

These aren't really fair questions for the newcomer. How could they know. Bill and Ebby just did what they did and when it worked, they did the same thing with others. There was I beleive, a sense of urgency and desperation back then, and they were out of options, so maybe it didn't occur to them to slow it down.

 



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Walking with curiosity.



MIP Old Timer

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Well said. On my return to AA after my one and only relapse, my sponsors urged me to embark on the steps. They knew how life threatening it was if I didn't.

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Senior Member

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Thank you for your post!

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