What always amazes me is how we can talk about a subject frequently and get something out of it, but then one day it seems to change into something that is a wonderful revelation. Today was one of those days.
I listened to others speak about the spirit present in these rooms. That was what one man reported, when he told about a woman, not an alcoholic, but, who attended a meeting one time said. She was looking for something and this is what she said she found in an AA meeting.
Almost everyone in the meeting was reporting the same thing. We were talking about the 2nd Step. Coming to believe in a power greater than ourselves and the insanity we suffered from. Out of the mouths of everyone came their story. How they were overwhelmed by the insanity of taking a drink of alcohol and the conflict they ran into, when they came to a room full of alcoholics, who were sober. Most said they couldn’t believe what they were experiencing.
People reported how they couldn’t get their egos out of the way to take in the concept of something greater than their thinking. They could see the results right there in front of their eyes, but the idea of a power greater than themselves… That didn’t happen right away. And the result was that they ended up drinking again. Even for those like myself, who stayed and didn’t drink it was difficult.
However all of us there in the room today came to believe the evidence of what we saw in the groups. Men and women, who were no longer insane, and, who had happy and useful lives. Something none of us had early on. And, following the directions of the group and a sponsor, we worked these Steps into our lives and found a change in us. If nothing else, we came to believe in the power of these 12 Steps. The power in the group. Something of a spiritual nature that was at work in this program.
To some that led to the concept of and a faith in a God of their understanding. But it all began, when we began to hope that this program could get us sober and keep us sober. We were tired of the pain we were in from drinking. Hearing the stories of these men and women about the insanity of their drinking and then finding this program and their restoration to sanity and living a sober life…that was the beginning of hope.
What I witnessed today was a lot of humility being expressed by everyone in the room. Their dependency on relying on themselves was absent. In its place was a belief, a faith, in a power greater than themselves. Almost everyone attributed their sobriety to this power.
Talking to a friend after the meeting, both of us said that we were aware of the spirituality in that room. We talked about what we had learned from that meeting. To persevere no matter what came along. How hope comes to us, when we do. How we’re inspired to faith, as a result. And how love of others begins to emerge. Being able to put our egos aside for the good of others. Oh, yeah, how much prayer and meditation is a part of all of this.
Finally, one thing that was apparent was the gratitude everyone had for this program, their higher power, and everyone in the rooms.