AA is an organization that I found...whose primary purpose is to help members stay sober...I discovered that in the early stages...I simply did what other members did to be successful in staying sober...primarily this involved going to many meetings...one or two a day...My entire life revolved around this...there were times when working, in trying to make a living, that it was physically impossible to go to meetings and the literature needed to surfice...I realized that what I was doing in life was a direct product of my sobriety...This attitude keeps it green.....and never had any problem in staying sober.. I could be grateful in what I had and what I was given that realization of course, a spiritual gift
Whenever I returned home...that desire to resume my meeting schedule , to share my experience was always very strong...When I looked back on it, it was never what I had to say particularly but my example of staying sober.. in spite of things
After 36 years of sobriety..currently in So. America..I am not actively engaged...but I keep an open mindI read my literature..Working on acceptance is very important to me...Like in the Doctors story...things that should have been important..became valueless to him...That is something that I need to be very careful and spiritually vigilent...to keep at all times the value of my sobriety uppermost in my spiritual makeup...Thats why every morning..The necessity of the 24hr book is so important...Daily Reflections..and randomly something from As Bill Sees It...
In the past 2 years particularly..I begun to realize that I have little to say..and we all know the value of opinions..My value to AA is my example only in the positive sense that I have remained sober..and shared my experience...its not difficult for me to stay sober..provided I remain vigilent...Im by far a Saint..and am aware of many of my character defects and shortcomings...but the important thing is staying sober and the Steps help to make progress.. AA works for those who work it at least in my experience..Its simple but its not easy and I find..thats the rub for failure...many perhaps are unwilling to endure the pain of spiritual growth..particularly in the early stages...People in spiritual pain...become full of convoluted thinking...those who give in to the disease... their bottom line.... AA is a program that doesnt work..or doesnt work for them..To those I can only say...hang in there..Just dont think in that state...dont drink and go to a meeting and things will get better...Not my opinion..Ive just seen it to many times not to relate that fact.
My time on a computer is minimal these days..both intentional and non-intentional..and I like it that way...I never hear from anyone whom I either sobered up with...or passed as 2 ships passing at night...Ive learned..we dont live in the past...or the future...whats important, the program tells me, is the present..and those whom ive known in the past..with long term sobriety..im sure might concur...whats important is today..Thats all I have...that all anyone of us has...and therein might reveal the equity of sobriety just for today.
God bless Tomas
-- Edited by Tomas on Wednesday 21st of July 2010 04:46:31 PM
thank you Tomas, 36 years of sobriety speaks for itself. thank you for coming aboard to share your experience strength and hope. jj come back anytime!!!
Just a penny, that's all you want? Here, I'll give you
Seriously though, I think what you said just may make me less anxious about sharing in meetings. If the most important thing is just my example in staying sober, and what I actually say when I share is of lesser importance, I'll be less concerned with trying to be perfect when I share. (And of course that in itself is something I need to be less concerned with in general anyway!)
