Today a number of thoughts, pertaining to sobriety, were running through my head. One of these was about two words; quantity and quality.
If we don’t drink and don’t die, we can accumulate a lot of one days at a time. We don’t drink and don’t die and become a so called “old timer”. All well and good. But during my time in here, I’ve seen a lot of old timers, who have what I don’t want. Perhaps it’s because just the process of aging turns them into cumudgeons. But, some of it has to do with what we term “their programs” or lack of them.
I think that it doesn’t matter, after a while, how much time a person has. What does matter is the example we give others, which can carry the message of hope to new as well as old timers. And that depends on the quality of their sobriety. I see a lot of these people everyday. They take their sobriety seriously and are daily applying the principles of this program to their lives. You can hear it in what they say, but more importantly in how they carry themselves. Sometimes I am close enough to these people so that I know a lot about their lives outside of the rooms. I talk to these people a lot.
These people I am talking about are not leading perfect lives. In fact, like so many human beings, they often stumble and fall, but always they ask for help and get back on their feet and brush themselves off and move on. They lead a perfectly imperfect life. Their spirituality shows this in every facet. Theirs is the way of imperfection. They accept this as their way of life and spirituality.
How blessed we are to be associated with such people. I know that I am, because they make me realize what this life in sobriety is all about. They help me to remember why I am here and what it is I am supposed to be doing. I don’t try to measure myself against them, but just observe and hope that I can take something away which will help me to try to grow and make progress a day at a time.
To say that sometimes I am awestruck at their humility wouldn’t begin to describe it. But, I know it’s there.
I thank God for allowing me to be associated with these people. If I can lay aside my prejudices and my feelings, I can find them everywhere. A thousand names run through my mind, going all the way back to the beginning of my life in here.
Just thinking.
It’s here! Your new message!