We learn that selfishness, self centeredness is the root of our problem, so helping others is the answer to that selfishness, from selfish to selfless, that is the difference between sitting in a meeting telling others about our problems and our day, and offering the solution and looking for someone to help

I was taught when I had 5 days to pull up the person behind me with 1 day, when I had 2 weeks, to help the guy with 1 week

Even when I had 3 days or 5 days and I would go up to whinge to old timers about all my very serious problems, many would interupt and ask if I had reached out to a newcomer, to someone with less time then me.

When I got the hint and started doing so, I found they asked because it worked. It got me out of self and made me realize how much I was focusing on me, my little plans and designs, even at 5 days listening to someone with 3 days I realized their entire speel could be condensed to "me me me me me me me me me"

I realized I sounded the same way..me me me me me

It made me realize how utterly comically self centered I was, I wanted to talk about me, and then listen to you talk about me, if I whined about my problems at group level, I wanted to make the meeting about me, then I wanted YOU to help ME, to validate me about me

me me me me me

Selfish? Self centered?

Only on a level so vast I didn't even realize I was self centered, I wasn't much but I was all I thought about, I was an ego-maniac with an inferiority complex, I was the piece of shit the world revolved around, even if I made an apology or restitution or acted with honesty and integrity, it was so I could get what I wanted...

This is an altruistic movement

Altruism the quality of unselfish concern for the welfare of others
Altruistic Regardful of others; beneficent; unselfish; -- opposed to egoistic or selfish

The very foundation of this Program is:

Love and Service
or
Trust God
Clean House
Help Others

Practical experience shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking as intensive work with other alcoholics. It works when other activities fail. This is our twelfth suggestion: Carry this message to other alcoholics! You can help when no one else can. You can secure their confidence when other fail. Remember they are very ill.

Life will take on new meaning. To watch people recover, to see them help others, to watch loneliness vanish, to see a fellowship grow up about you, to have a host of friends this is an experience you must not miss . We know you will not want to miss it. Frequent contact with newcomers and with each other is the bright spot of our lives.

 

If God Spoke to A.A. He Might Have Said...

Into your weak and feeble hands I have entrusted the Power beyond your estimate. To you has been given that which has been denied the most learned of your fellows. Not to scientists or statesmen, not to wives or mothers, not even to my priests and ministers have I given this gift of healing other alocholics, which I entrust to you. It must be used unselfishly. It carries
with it a grave responsibility. No day can be too long, no demands upon your time can be too urgent, no case to pitable, no task to hard, no effort to great. It must be with tolerance, for I have restricted its application to no race, no creed and no denomination. Personal cristism you must expect,
lack of appreciation will be common, ridicule will be your lot, your motives will be misjudged. Sucess will not always attend your efforts in the work with other alcoholics. You must be prepared for adversity, for what men call adversity is the ladder you must use to ascend the rung toward spiritual perfection. I shall not exact of you beyond your capabilities.

YOU ARE NOT SLECETED BECAUSE OF exceptional talents: and be careful always, if success attends your efforts, not to ascribe to personal superiority, that to which you can lay claim on only virtue of My Gift. If I had wanted learned men to accomplish this mission, the power would be entrusted to the physician and scientist. If I had wanted eloquent men there would have been many anxious for the assignment, for talk is the easiest used of all the talents with which I have endowned mankind. If I wanted scholary men, the world is filled with better qualified than you who would have been available. you were selected because you have been available. You were selected because you have been outcasts of the world, as your long experiance as a drunkard has made, or should make you, humbly alert to the cries of distress that come from the lonely hearts of alcoholics everywhere. Keep ever in mind the admission that you made on the day of your profession of A.A.-namely, that you are powerless, and that it was only your willingless to turn your life and will into My keeping, that relief came to you.

THINK NOT, THAT BECAUSE YOU have been dry one year or two years, or ten years, that it is the result of your unaided efforts. The help which has been keeping normal will keep you so just as long as you live this program which I have mapped out for you. Beware of the pride that comes from growth, the power of numbers and invidious comparisons between yourselves, or your
organization with other orginizations whose sucess depends on numbers, money and position. These material things are no part of your creed. The success of material organization comes from pooling of joint assets: yours from the union of mutual liabilities. Appeal for membership in material organizations is based upon a boastful recital of their accomplishments: yours on the humble admission of weakness, the motto of successful commercial enterprise is: "he profits most who serve best". The wealth of material organizations, when they take the inventory, is measured by what they have left: yours, when you take moral inventory, by what you have given."

-- Edited by LinBaba on Friday 10th of December 2010 08:41:59 PM