I was truly amazed today. I was talking to a man I have known for quite a while, but who has been away as far as I’m concerned. All of a sudden we suddenly got together and began to share. That’s what I think amazed both of us. We both are alcoholics, who got sober. But that’s where I thought we ended any similarities.
I mean we had led different lives. Totally. And yet, as we talked, somethings began to come out, which startled both of us. We were almost the same person. I know he was amazed, as was I. And what was that? We’re both alcoholics. We discovered we had almost the same way of thinking and stumbling over our old defects. What we went through in the past in here was almost the same. I think there were moments, when we couldn’t catch our breath.
One of the things, which really became apparent to me, was our time in this program. We both have long sobriety, except that, as he told about his present struggles, I could smile and tell him he was going to be all right. That’s because I have twice as much time he has. My experiences have shown how this program changed me and I’m in a much better place. And, I know, if he continues to do what he is doing, he will be pulled out of most of this, as I was.
We both agreed on our humanness, our alcoholism, and our lack of sainthood. In a lot of ways we’re the same person. I told him what I was told by my old sponsor, who told me that I was going to continue to stumble over my old defects, and I needed to learn how to pick myself up, dust myself off, and to continue to live this program. He told me that I was going to continue to stumble the rest of my life, right up to the end. However the defects would be reduced over time, as would their impact on me. And that has been true.
One of the biggest reliefs for both of us, was our honesty. We both were open and almost knew what it was that we needed to talk about. Again, Speak of amazing. This was it today. I think our getting back together was not an accident. I believe, as a result, this was what was needed by both of us. I know I felt this feeling of relief, as he did in what he told me.
Again I was reminded of why it is we are here. And that’s to stay sober a day at a time. And, of course, the spirituality and the presence of a Power greater than us, which began in Step Two. We were both grateful for all those we knew, who helped us. And the fact we were thankful was right there in front of us.