This morning I awoke and was suprised by a thought. The thought was “begin from where you are a proceed”.
That thought came from a very spiritual person I knew years back. It was a counsel she gave me often. Begin from where you are.
Where am I? I awoke sober. I am sober today and this is where I start and go forward.
There’s a story of one of the Jewish Prophets she gave to me. It seems there was a famine in the country and he was wandering around hungry. He saw a hut and knocked on the door and it was answered by a woman. He asked her for something to eat. She said she had nothing. She was a poor widow with two sons. He asked her what she did have. She said she had one measure of oil. He told her to bring the measure to him with some empty jars.
She had her sons do that and he said to them to begin with what they had and pour. They did as they were told and it poured forth abundantly and filled the other jars to the brim. Then they took it to market and sold it for the food they needed.
She told me that everyday I was to begin with what I had. What do I have to give that will pour forth abundantly? My sobriety. I’m to take it wherever I go and to do what the program suggests. To give it away so that I may keep it.
I don’t have to talk about it, but just be sober and give it to others by example. I don’t have to give it to another alcoholic. I can give it to my family, my friends, and others I meet.
The ninth step tells us that the spiritual life is not a theory. It has to be lived. That’s it. I don’t have to go around like a pious little goody two shoes. I can simply enjoy my sobriety and in that way share it wiith others. For instance, I can begin with a smile.
Anyway, that’s what I was thinking today.
Park yourself in front of a world of choices in alternative vehicles.