At the meeting today I was reminded of the spritual axiom from the Tenth Step. I saw it in action when I was called upon and again, when I came home.
The leader called on me and as I was responding, a couple of men, sitting right next to me and facing me from the side, began to have a conversation. It was so distracting that I finally stopped and addressed them directly. And what was happening? I was disturbed. And that was what I was talking about. Whenever we’re disturbed there is something wrong with us. How timely. True, they were doing something which was a distraction, but my problem was that it disturbed me. As much as I hated to admit it, my part in the disturbance was clear at that very moment and I had to apologize. Hmm.
When I arrived home, I saw an example of someone who was really, really disturbed. A relative of mine was standing in the driveway having just ended an argument with one of our neighbors. I could only listen to it without comment, but it was a reminder to me of my penchant to anger. I avoided counseling her, as I knew this would serve no useful purpose. But it was a reminder to me that how blessed we are to have a program, which can teach us what the right thing to do is and to relieve us of resentments, which are born of this kind of dispute.
I was also reminded that it pays to stay current in addressing our character defects and not to hang on to them. I thought that they are like fungus or mildew. They grow in the dark and flourish. Take them out into the sunlight and they die a natural death. I need to do that, because at the end of the line a drink is waiting and I never want to go there again.
What a great program. How fortunate we all are. And how grateful I have to be to be able to share it with so many like myself.