What am I? Doesn’t matter who I am. That’s all ego. What really matters is what I do and how I act. After all, faith without works is dead.
What I am is a sober member of AA. I hope that I act in a manner, which supports the unity necessary to support the groups I attend. I know that it’s necessary to put my personal wishes and desires aside for the good of the whole.
I ask myself, from time to time, do I think of others and extend my hand to help them, when needed? I know it’s sometimes inconvenient, but will I lend an ear and listen to the problems others bring?
If asked to do what’s necessary for the good of others, do I respond? What kind of example am I to newcomers?
Sometimes I know that I fall far short of these ideals. But, at the end of each day, I find that I’m still sober. That, after all, is my primary purpose.
I was thinking about this today. Recently I was asked to speak at a meeting and I turned it down. A friend of mine reminded me that I should reverse my decision and I did. The reason I turned it down was that it was at an inconvenient hour for me and I just didn’t like the idea. It was just pure selfish interest on my part. I went and spoke and can only hope that someone heard a message that there is a solution.
Anyway, there are times I need to stop and take an inventory on what I’m doing to maintain my spiritual condition. I remember way back that I was told that it didn’t matter what my state or condition was, when I went on a twelfth step call. All that was important was that I be available to act as an agent to carry the AA message to others. Reluctant as I was last night, I knew that my friend was right and I carried that thought with me into the meeting.
Last night was a reminder that I need to act in gratitude for the gift of sobriety, which has been so freely given to me by so many, who were willing to sacrifice their time and efforts to reach out and help me along the way.
__________________________________________________
http://mail.yahoo.com