Once again the group today was tied into the subject of humility. Even to the source of that word came up a few times. Earth or the ground. Dirt. I can well remember that being the source of this word. Down to earth. The very thing lacking in alcoholics, like ourselves.
I can well remember, when I came into this program, what those old timers did for us. They woke us up. Never can forget being called out at meetings for talking about things, which did not mean anything for the subject of sobriety. But what was done was able to cut someone like me down to size. “Shut up!” caught my attention a few times, finally getting me to quiet down and listen. And then finding out what was going on.
Back near the beginning of this program, there was a psychiatrist, Dr. Thiebout, who was helping alcoholics to come into this program and get sober. He ran many of the institutions in NYC. One of the things he told those old timers was about the egos of alcoholics. He said they were over sized and needed to be deflated by the sober old timers. This was something I learned that I not only needed back then, but even today.
After all, like the BB tells us, we are not saints. We human alcoholics, and will be right up until the end.
The Steps and the spiritual life are very much based on alcoholics like myself getting me to acquire a state of humility. That means I have to be able to recognize my over sized ego and to be able to step back and become humble, if I want to continue to grow along spiritual lines and stay sober…a day at a time.
And all of this began to grow for me way back, when those old timers would cut me down to size. Often telling me to be quiet and listen to those talking about how this program works. Not so much the same today. How often I hear alcoholics talking about personal problems, looking for others to join in with them. Often nothing much about the solution to our alcoholism.
That is why I have so much gratitude for my old sponsor and those old timers back then. Meetings were about how this program works. The Twelve Steps and the Twelve Traditions. Working these Steps and practicing these Traditions about getting sober from alcohol and staying sober from alcohol.
Anyway, I was reminded of why I am here. To stay sober a day at a time. To work these Steps and to practice prayer and meditation. To grow along spiritual lines. To help one another in here and to reach out and help newcomers to get sober and stay sober. To try to practice hope, faith, and love for one another. To be grateful. To live a happy and peaceful life. To be restored to sanity and be given a spiritual experience. To try to be humble and grateful. A reminder that I need to thank my Higher Power, those old timers and sponsor, and all those, who have helped me along the way.