No One will be offended... - Alcoholics Anonymous

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TOPIC: No One will be offended...

John

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Status: Offline

Posts: 675

Date: Jul 17, 2010

No One will be offended...	Permalink Closed

Hi everyone, At the begining of every meeting here in North Carolina, USA, the chairperson makes a few basic annoucements related to parking, smoking and profanity. I'm a smoker and a cusser... so while it wouldn't bother me if every AA room in the world was smoke filled and every one used foul language during a share of their ES&H, I do have to respect the line in the chairs reading that says, "No one will be offended if you refrain from using profanity." Since my last drink in 1989, I have had to adjust alot of what I did, how I carried myself, as well as what I said and when I said it. I had to get to a place of selflessness, that allowed me to grab the opportunity to stop offending people, even changing things that might set the stage for unintentional offense. Not one person has ever complained because I didn't cuss during a share, but before I cared about anyone but myself, I was repeatously offending people in the rooms with my foul mouth. There is a time and place for everything, and I submit before you as both an individual and as a group, that "No one will be offended if you refrain from using profanity on this message board." I am a person with a great passion for the 12 Steps, the 12 Traditions, for the seriousness and grit with which we should carry such a serious, life saving message of recovery. But I am also a person that believes we do not have a right to make others uncomfortable in the rooms or on this board by our conduct or words. If my behavior, attitude, or words are sending people out of the rooms or off this board, and I won't tame myself, I am still operating from a place of selfish, self-centeredness. This is a program of attraction, and I should not be selectively attractive to those who don't mind profanity, and disregard those who are offended by it. When I do this, I AM THE PROBLEM. In early recovery, I thought their having a problem with how I said things was their problem. It's not and never was. It's my EGO, selfishness, inconsiderate, selfcentered ideas that was the problem. "We had to let go of our old ideas" and start thinking about the other men and woman whose lives touch ours. My sponsor once said to me.."You can remove the Rum from a Fruitcake and if nothing else is changed, you still have a fruitcake." It took me a while to realize I was being called a Fruitcake. LOL And today I have to agree with him, I was. Nothing had changed besides not taking a drink. I was minus the alcohol, but still thinking, behaving and sounding very drunk. Please take heed to this simple post without letting it offend you, and become willing to represent both AA and Miracles In Progress from a place of consideration for others. John -- Edited by John on Saturday 17th of July 2010 03:35:07 PM __________________

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