A friend of mine reminded me of a name of a woman in the program and it brought back some old memories. I hadn’t thought of or heard of her in years. Her name was Marty Mann.
Marty Mann was mentioned years ago by Dr. Harry Tiebout, a psychiatrist friend of the program. He never used her name, but told the story of how he and other doctors, frustrated by the fact that there was no known cure for this disease of alcoholism, came across a “ditto” copy of the BB, which had not been printed at that point in time. He gave it to a woman in one of his mental hospitals. She read it and asked where she could meet these people. He took her to the only meeting in New York City. When he brought her back, she entered the ward and announced to everyone there, “We’re not alone anymore”. That was the beginning of her sobriety and that of many others after that.
Her story is in the BB “Women Suffer Too”. After she had been sober a while she launched out on a mission to establish places around the nation and in a university to provide help and learn more about this disease. She did this for years and was very successful in doing so.
I was thinking about this for a couple of reasons. One was that she was still around, when I came in. Not as active as she had been, in fact she died about 8 years after I had gotten sober. It was just that a few of those old timers I knew, either knew her or knew about her. Brought back memories.
However there was another reason which came to mind. I know that I and many others in this program respect and admire our co-founders, Bill and Dr. Bob. There are others I know that I have known and still admire. I guess I could add her to that list. But there’s something else and Bill said it to a friend of mine, when she met him. “Look, I’m just another alcoholic, just like you.” Nothing special. I am no one special. Just another drunk. I have to remember that. When I don’t and I place them on a pedestal, I could be headed for some trouble.
There are others, whom we know only in passing, or don’t know at all, who were instrumental in helping the program in the very beginning. Had a big hand in it. One is a man, who was in the Chapter “There Is A Solution”. He was the young man in the story about Dr. Jung. He was the man, who went out and had a spiritual experience. Most of us know him from that, because it introduces us to the solution to our disease. A spiritual experience or awakening.
However it was him, when he got back to this country, who rescued Ebby T. from the courts, introduced him to the Oxford Group, and Ebby came to Bill W. and did the same. And Bill did the same for Dr. Bob. Until both of them, with their companions at that time, separated from the Oxford Group and founded AA. Who was that man? He lived only a town away from where I live. He never joined AA, stayed with the Oxford Group, and died sober. Bill W. wrote a letter to Dr. Jung, after the man died, to tell the Dr. what had happened to him. His name was Roland H.
Think about that. He helped in getting this program started. Indirectly at least. But no one would ever think of putting him up on a pedestal.
My sponsor warned me to never put him up on a pedestal. He said the fall was too far. I never did. Yet I still remember him and he still has my admiration. He helped me so much, but always reminded me that he was no different than me. Just another drunk.
I guess I’m talking about humility here. Staying right sized. Part of the spiritual way of life in here. Putting my ego aside. Not only that, but getting a balanced view of myself and everyone in here with me. It’s part of what helps me to stay sober.
The spiritual life is not a theory. We have to live it. That’s what the BB tells me. I pray I may never forget that. We all know so many wonderful people. With all their admirable traits and all their faults. Never want to forget that. About myself or anyone else.
I know all these people and more like them have contributed so much to my sobriety. I do have respect and admiration for them. But I also know that I have to keep things in perspective and not go overboard.