In a recent posting Funny but True, I alluded to one of our members who was known as Jersey John. During one of our armed conflicts John got shot in the head.. He survived with the aid of a steel plate. He saw life very simply and had the natural ability to somehow always say the right thing.. I asked him once what he thought of the 3^rd step.. he said that it works.. I said I like your style John.. and said that I considered him one of my spiritual sponsors.. He was rather proud of that telling everyone that he was Tom Cs sponsor.. most laughed. . I was known as the sexual intellectual.That of course translated as a efn know it all: I gave him his 10 year chip.. I had about 15 years at the time.

Later I went away to the Persian Gulf WarI was a volunteerI was gone a long time.. We would get bags of mail from the children calling us heroesthere is no guile or deceit in a young child. . The handwriting made us laugh. taking our mind off the idea we would be killed.We freed the Kuwaiti people and went home.. even giving us medals...My office complex gave me my 10 minutes of attention in the sun, and everyone went back to work.. My first meeting back after almost a year.. no one said anything.After the meeting John came up to me and said.. I didnt see you here for the meeting last week where were you ? I said I dont know John, cant remember back that far, you got a better memory than me.

Today I honor the children by making them balloon animals, space helmets, angels caps, and swords.they laugh and laugh and climb all over me, helping me realize who and what I was..

Thats how I learned that my job, not only in AA but in life was to help others and need the grace of God to do it.

My friend Jersey John.. was sometimes laughed at because of his simplicity.  He had a superb program before he died, in my opinionWhos to judge the quality of ones programonly God