Today, after reading the Twenty-four Hour a Day book, I was made to think about a lot of what I learned in here. Especially the thought of compassion for the alcoholic in need. In other words, love.
I know that’s what I needed to begin to practice in here. I know that in the beginning I was given a lot of Twelfth Steps opportunities. I really didn’t know what I was supposed to do, but I was taken out over and over again. Still didn’t know. It was going to take time for me to learn.
In time I began to pick up what it was that the Twelfth Step was all about. My sponsor was the one who had all of this for me. Not that he literally went out with me most of the time, but he was the one who showed me what it was that I was supposed to do. Part of that was the beginning of learning how to put the spiritual principles into practice.
And part of all this is what I had problems with over time. And that was the word “love”. I had a problem with understanding how that was to be effective in what I was supposed to be doing. Nothing “bad” but just junk causing me to stumble over myself. And then the word “compassion” came to me from these old timers. That’s when I began to understand something of what it was that we needed to do for the still suffering alcoholic. Not always a new person either.
What I learned was what was given to me. The generosity of my old sponsor and those old timers to take the time to listen to me and then share with me what I needed. I began to look back at all the help I was given and knew that was what I needed to do for others. And not necessarily the new person. Often times it is others like myself in here, who needed to share their problems and difficulties. Sometimes things which could take them back out to alcohol, if they weren’t helped and relieved of the dangerous emotions and thoughts they were suffering from.
For instance, today I was gifted by others who needed to share what they were going through and it reminded me that I needed to put compassion into practice.
Anyway it’s a reminder to me that I need to be open to giving away what was so freely and generously given to me. Made me think of why I’m here and what it is I’m supposed to be doing. And that, of course, is staying sober this day. Makes me grateful for all I have been given. The generous gifts this program has given to me. I need to thank my Higher Power, my old sponsor, and all those who have helped me through my time in here. I know that’s what I’m supposed to do. So thanks to all.