Today I thought I’d go back and read a book, which contains some of the stories from the first edition to the BB. About the third or fourth story, I came across a line, which reminded me of what has been so important in my own life in sobriety. He was talking about working with others and how it played an important part in his recovery.
Of course the BB emphasizes the same thing. It tells me that nothing more will insure my staying sober than working with others. And that has been my experience, too.
My first sponsor taught me that early on in my sobriety. Back then there were always opportunities for 12th Step work. Seemed the phone was always ringing from the central office with requests. Sometimes someone would call my sponsor and ask him to come over and help a neighbor or some poor soul on the street. He would come over and pick me up and off we’d go. Of course, being new, I would only go along as reinforcement. But I would listen as he talked to these men and learned something from the experience.
Back then, I remember a man, who had the same experience as I was having, who told his sponsor that he couldn’t understand why he was there at these calls. He said he didn’t do anything but sit in the corner, while his sponsor talked to his prospect. His sponsor said that my friend was the most important man in the room. He told him that when he was finishing up talking to the alcoholic in front of him he would point to my friend and say, “If you continue drinking you’re going to end up just like that man over there.” Maybe my sponsor was doing the same. After all, I was once told by a member that I was the sickest alcoholic they had ever seen, when I came in. They told me that I convinced them that they never wanted to take a drink ever again.
But, even though 12 Step calls have seemed to have dried up because of “rehabs”, I still have found the opportunity to continue to work with others. There are always new members with whom I have had the opportunity to talk to. Always someone to “sponsor”, so to speak. And then there are those, who have time, with whom to talk about the program. Some with “problems” similar to those I have gone through myself.
Talking to others has given me occassion to be reminded of where I came from and where I am today. A reminder of who and what I am. What I will always be; an alcoholic. A reminder that I’m not cured of this disease. A reminder that the drink is ever present, even though I may not be conscious of it. That alcohol is still destroying lives and making others miserable and helpless, as a result.
But it is also so hopeful, as I get to see others recover and get better for having been exposed to this program. It renews my hope and helps me to remain steadfast in my resolve to stay sober. I’m also able to re-surrender to those basic Steps, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. Never to forget that these are the firm foundation on which I can stand, as my sponsor always reminded me.
Anyway, after my readings today I began to think about this.