Today I was talking to a great member I know from this program. We were talking about people we know, who are hurting from their illnesses. And the thought of applying spirituality to hopefully help them was pretty much what we were talking about. Like him, I knew what was going on was very hard to deal with. But just the thought of praying and our being willing to leave them in the hands of our Higher Power was pretty much what we were doing.
And the thoughts we were having made me think about another story I once ran across in one of Anthony De Mellos books. It was a story relating to a small town in Japan, back in the middle ages. It was about two families and one of those Japanese ministers. The two families lived next door to one another. They were part of the nobility in Japan. The daughter of one family was in love with the man next door, who was an officer in service to the Emperor at that time. They were both aiming for marriage with each other.
However before that could happen he was called up to service in the capital. Up to that time they had never talked about this happening. After he had left the young woman they discovered was pregnant. And she told her family that the father of the child was the old minister, who had been serving the people there. That made the people turn on him and drive him into the nearby forest. Often they would see him and they would throw rocks at him. His response was always a noble “Ah so”. Always quiet and gentle despite their anger.
After a while the young officer returned and they did get married. After the marriage they both admitted that this young man was the father of their child. This shocked everyone and they rushed to apologize to the old minister. And his response was a very quiet “Ah so”.
Some how this reminded me later of what we had been talking about. And that was partly about growing along spiritual lines in here. Our praying for others and letting go and leaving them in the hands of our Higher Power. Regardless of the results we were hopefully having faith despite the results. And that reminded me of the example of that old minister in the story. His response was always humble and willing to accept what his life was like. Very quiet and very spiritual. I guess that was what made me think about this. We both were holding onto to what we had learned in here, as part of our sobriety. Being faithful and willing to do what we needed to do. Neither one of us had any power to change what was going on, but willing to accept the results.
That was exactly what had happened to both of us, when we got sober. We began to learn how to stay faithful and step back and give up our wanting to control what we never could. We had come to have faith we had grown into in this program. And that did remind me of the example of that old minister. To let go and let our Higher Power be in control. Exactly what we were really thinking of about, when we each had admitted our surrendering and letting go.
I know that all began beginning with that First Step and then going into the Second Step and beginning to learn to grow along spiritual lines. And the Third, which opened the door to putting the rest of these Steps into our lives and growing along spiritual lines as we did. Made me grateful, as I know it did my friend also. We both were willing to stay sober a day at a time and to grow along spiritual lines. Much like that old man back then.