Meetings are a reward for me. Before, during, and after. Listening during the meeting, talking to others before and after. That’s what I did today. And the effect it had on me was to allow me to think the rest of the day about what I had heard. It was indeed a meditation, which eventually brought me to peace and serenity. Faith and hope.
Of course the subject was most appropriate to what I was thinking. Once again someone brought up the 11th Step as the topic. I could only hope it was as fruitful for them, as it was for me.
On the way to the meeting, someone brought up resentments and anger. After the meeting someone talked to me about much the same thing. And after that I spent time with another alcoholic and some of that was part of their conversation, along with a lot of other things. Everyone with problems I could identify with. And then to talk about the solutions. And always I think about the solution as being spiritual.
Eventually I went to the 11th Step in the 12&12 and read the prayer of St. Francis and thought about what it said. Especially the words about bringing faith and hope into the lives of others. Selfishly I thought about all those, who brought faith and hope into my life. My sponsor, those old timers, and of course the people I now associate with in groups and meetings today.
Why all this concentration on the 11th Step? Because it made me think once again about the maintenance of my spiritual condition. The basis of my sobriety.
It made me think about my experiences with this 11th Step over time. The different methods I learned to practice in meditations. Things I read and heard over time. The directions I read and heard from my sponsor, like keep on trying. Never to quit no matter what. Even when I felt I was getting nowhere. Not to look for results or expectations. Just do it and at the end just say “thanks”. It works. It really does. It helps me to stay sober and that’s exactly why I am doing what I’m doing. What I believe is God’s will for me.