Ok....a member with long term sobriety gives me her number a few nights ago. That night I get a text with no message, no name--just a number. (Since I am receiving numbers from quite a few people now, I haven't been the best at entering them into my phone.) I know that there are all kinds of virus's, telemarketers, scammers who target our cell phone numbers. I just texted back....saying a name and message wasn't in the info and to please send me a name and message if they needed me and they were not a telemarketer--(life's short). I didn't receive an answer back. The next day, another text. Again...no name/message from that same number. However, this time it had on the top of the text "Video/Pic" and a button to click if I wanted to open it. I didn't do it because going back to the above, viruses, etc. and also I wasn't sure if it would charge my phone if I clicked.
So on Saturday I received a Voice Mail from this member who gave me her number and she just said it was her and it was sent when she was trying to put my number in her phone. She said she just wanted me to know that and she would see me at the Monday or Tuesday night meeting. Well, I didn't see the need to call or text her back. Besides, the weekend was a rough one--very hectic and busy and I was exhausted. Well, this morning, I thought that I would text her and thanked her for her sweet message and I would see her at the meeting on Tuesday. I received a message from her which said that she was sorry I didn't respond sooner and she'd see me at the meeting. This sounded like I may have misunderstood her message, so without checking it, I told her that I was sorry, that I must have misunderstood, that I had a stressful weekend, and told her I should have answered sooner. Her reply was no problem and to remember that it is the fellowship of AA which saves us. I told her I know and I am very grateful for it.
Now, I am confused because it was an accidental text to begin with and I ended up feeling guilty today because I didn't respond sooner. I did listen to the message and no where in it was there any misunderstanding on my part. So I guess to be on the safe side whenever I get a call or text from anyone I should just reply to any kind of vague text or ones I think are not so vague as long as I respond. I sure don't want any AA member thinking I don't care about them enough to do so.
One of our members here sent me some emails with 'attachments' ... I didn't open them and just deleted the mail ... after a few more emails, I then knew who it was and have trusted his emails since ...
In today's technology, you can't be too careful ... better to miss a message than to have your device locked up and unusable OR get charged for services you were unaware of ... err on the side of caution, I say ...
__________________
'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
one thing that struck me is saying its the fellowship of AA which saves us, yet eh big book tells me differently. it tells me its a higher power which does the saving and the fellowship is a release from care, boredom, and worry.
personally i suggest handing it over. give yerself a break.
I cant control what others think about me and im really not here to conform to what others think about me. I m not bending myself into a pretzel anymore to please everyone.
Today - I am able to offer my life, my love, my anything... and leave the results/outcome entirely to God. I hold no one to anything, I hold myself and actions accountable to Him. I have seen many times now where people reached out to me, I did not have the capacity to be grateful or appreciative and it was long after the fact when it clicked. Then I went back to offer thanks, and saw who was doing it for selfish, self validating/affirming reasons, and who was doing it for God and self love no matter what the other person did as a result. Some were stand offish and holding a grudge - and the workers for God had open arms and were in the moment, never holding yesterday or yesteryear in their now. It has taught me so much to encounter both types, and BE both types in my recovery at different points. It was all Gods path to bring me to a useful place for Him, and today, I am grateful for all of it. Today, I see that we all have bits of every character asset/defect within us as humans, and God does keep us where He needs us to bring out maximum usefulness to His purpose: His will be done - Not mine.
