Once again our group went back into the Second Step. Funny thing was that I had read this Step in the 12&12 in the morning. It’s what I often do from time to time, because of what it continues to teach me. Coming into this meeting this morning this is what three of us were talking about. The funny thing was that none of the three of us brought this topic up.
The reason is, when I go back and reread this Step, it’s what my old sponsor taught me way way back. It continues to open my mind to why I am here and what it is that I need to do to continue to work to stay sober a day at a time. The reason is obvious to me. As the literature points out that we are not saints. We happen to be human alcoholics. We have to continue to work on spirituality again and again because we are going to do what my old sponsor and those old timers told me over and over again. We are going to stumble and bumble and tumble again and again, until the day we die.
I can never forget my old sponsor opened the door to this Step and the spiritual way of life we need to live in here, as well as to be able to begin to have a relationship with my Higher Power. It was this Step which began to help me to begin to grow in living a sober way of life. It was one thing for me to be able to surrender my alcohol to my concept of a Higher Power. But I came in back then and didn’t really know what I was doing. It took time for me to learn why I am here and how to begin to live this way of life.
I am so grateful for what I was given by my old sponsor and those old timers back then. They helped me to begin to learn and to be able to practice this program, as I should. It took all the ugly things in my life away from me, and opened the door to a wonderful way of living. I was given true happiness and peace of mind. I learned to step away from things, which would have ordinarily pulled me down. I learned to pray and to meditate and begin to live what I so desperately needed. I was given faith, hope, and love. I learned how to have compassion and caring for newcomers, as it was given to me by these old timers. And I learned how to stop letting those negative emotions I dragged in with me to run my life. I was taught how to think and control this issue, which used to run my life.
Anyway, by the time the meeting was drawing to a close, I had begun to feel the happiness I had been given by my Higher Power and my old sponsor. I needed to be grateful for these gifts. Also I need to be grateful to all those old timers and the people today, who have been so generous in their caring for this alcoholic. I have to say, “Thank, you,” and pray.