Today I was reminded of something my old sponsor made me pay attention to. That was the statement, when in doubt don’t.
I can remember way back then that I failed to follow this advice and ran into difficulties I needn’t have. And all I had to do was listen and do what I was told. Hard for a hard head like myself.
Eventually I began to practice, when in doubt don’t. That didn’t mean that I had to just blow things off. There was always an alternative. And that was sharing my doubts with my sponsor or others I had come to trust. I learned that I could depend on their recommendations. Their logic, which I didn’t have when I ran into these doubts.
This kind of activity opened doors for me. I came to trust, which in the beginning was a long time coming. I began to have faith in others than myself. It also taught me to open my ears and listen. It also made me aware that I really had a lot to learn, something I had failed to do for years, because of my huge ego. But it also helped me to begin to grow up and mature, something else I had failed to do over those same years.
The reason I thought about this today was because it has a lot to do with my staying sober a day at a time. I know from witnessing some slips in here, which came as a result of others making up their minds to go ahead, in spite of being questionable about taking action. And, of course it turned out to not be the correct answer. I have looked back and am grateful that I started to listen to my sponsor.
One of the gifts I know I have received in here from learning what I needed to from my old sponsor and others is that I have been able to do what they did for me. I had such a call today and what was being said opened myself and my friend to what I had learned in here. Besides I have learned to trust my Higher Power, especially in these matters. I had to learn to put my own interest aside and listen and then reach back and bring out what was offered to me by so many trusted individuals.
Again I found it was time that I stopped and thought about my staying sober once again. And the call was a reminder. A gift to me. And I hope it was the same for the individual who called. I know that I was grateful to them for placing their trust in someone like me. It was a reminder to me of exactly why I am here to begin with.
All this I know I owe to my old sponsor and a lot of those old timers, who helped me to stay sober and begin to live this way of life. Their knowledge and examples were the kind of gifts I never ever thought I would receive from anyone. And here I was exposed to all of these people who seemed to have cared enough for me to assist me to live this way of life. I am so thankful for all of this. I hope that I can return the favors by passing them along to others.