One of the things, which came to the surface today, that I was able to do, was my being able to carry the message on sponsorship to a few at the meeting today. The reason I say this, is because in a couple of people the absence of sponsors was quite clear. In a couple of more, it was our conversations on how important sponsors were in our lives.
With one of those “new comers” I was able to go into particulars about the sponsors in my own life. And they seemed open to what was being said. My hope was that they would go ahead and contact someone with time in more than five years and hopefully closer to ten or more. The reason I was talking about that was they seemed to have the enthusiasm and the desire to do what needs to be done in here to stay sober.
Today we were listening to a speaker at the group’s anniversary. I knew the speaker and how her sponsor helped her turn her whole life around. That and the fact that she was very interested in what older sober alcoholics had, which helped her. She wrote down whatever they said, which she could use to carry her further into sobriety. I can well remember that. And the example her story had for newer people in this program was encouraging.
Later on I had to stop and go back over how important my old sponsor and other old timers were in my life. How they were able to give me what I so desperately needed. Not just the directions, but their ability to cut my ego down to size, which helped me to stay focused on what it was I needed to do. They were able to bring the humility I needed into my life.
But what I could relate to others was how my sponsor and others were able to give me advice and directions, which enabled me to put this program into action, and how all of that changed my life. Without their courage to keep me in line and show me what it was I needed to do, I might not have had the sense to make all the changes I needed. From them I learned honesty, courage, a real sense of obedience, and spirituality. Indeed it was them, who taught me how to really love and care for others. I never want to forget that.
Anyway it was their courage to do for me what I couldn’t have done for myself, without their help. I learned that I had to apply my sober efforts a day at a time. Never to forget to keep my attention on the present moment and not any thoughts into the future. No projections. And that changed my mind about a lot of things, which once pulled me down into dark holes. Anger, resentments, and fear, which once controlled my life have been pretty much arrested. Makes me grateful.
So, as I look at what I was able to focus on, I have come pretty much to peace and, like I said, gratitude. This program and the people in it, with the loving care of my Higher Power, have not only kept me sober, but taught me to care and help others like myself. Like I was talking about at the beginning. Thanks.