Another old timer, who was instrumental in my staying sober, just passed away. He had 42 years of sobriety, when he died. His name was Walt and a good friend of my old friend Fern, who also passed away recently.
Walt was the man, who told me that AA was ephemeral. Meaning that we can easily forget about it in a short time. He convinced me that it was important to attend meetings regularly to be reminded of what I forgot. That statement of his has kept me going to meetings throughout my sobriety. I am ever grateful for him and his words and example of what sober living is all about.
One of the reasons I have followed his advice is that I discovered for myself how easily what I have learned in here can fade away in a very short time. What I read and studied in the BB and what I heard at meetings, including what I was told, I have to keep current, if I want to live a happy and sober life. Because of people like him I do have that kind of life.
Those kind of reminders to me have helped me so much to stay on this spiritual path I have found in here. I know how important he and others were to me, but I desperately need to keep faith and hope in my higher power. And that’s what the meetings do for me. They remind me of what I have forgotten from one day to the next. Often I have been reminded to pray and give thanks for all I have been given. And to make that effort to make a conscious contact with the God of my understanding, who opened the door to this sober way of life for me.
Like I said, I owe Walt a lot. And his wife Evelyn, who passed away a few years back. She was the one, who came up to me, when I was two years sober and told me how good I looked. She said that, when she first saw me, back when I came in, that I was the sickest drunk she had ever seen. So sick that it made her sick and convinced her she never wanted to drink again. It always makes me laugh, when I think about that. At least back then I served some good purpose.
Anyway, he will be missed, as Evelyn and the rest of those sober people, who have gone on to their reward. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to know these people over the years. I just had to spend some time thinking about him and the rest of those givers of the life I have today.
A last thought comes from a friend, who someone wrote to, when Fern died. He said something to the effect that, when sponsors die, he thinks they beome stars to shine their lights on us, who are left behind. Nice thought.