Another alcoholic in this program and I talked about what is so important to those like ourselves, who have come into this program to get sober. And that is the need we all have to change from what we were to a sober alcoholic. And that means going from the “bad” to the “good”.
That for me, after I was in here a while, meant that I had to begin to not just do the Twelve Steps, but to begin to live a spiritual life. The Second Step. I had to acquire a Higher Power in my life. I needed to grow in hope and faith. To depend on a Power greater than myself. The God of my understanding.
I was so grateful to my old sponsor and all those old timers in here, back then, who helped me to learn what I needed to do. Not just the Twelve Steps as such, but to begin to put the Twelfth Step into action. Not the way it would be over time, but to simply stop and pray and to start to meditate. That’s the way I began to understand what this program was about.
I often go back and think about Dr. Carl Jung and his direction to the young man, whom he called a “chronic alcoholic”. He told him that his only chance at a solution to the disease of alcoholism he was suffering from was a spiritual experience. And I always remember the young man told Jung that he practiced his religion. Jung told him that was not enough. And apparently the young man changed, because he got sober and joined the Oxford Group. And from there he passed his experiences on to Ebby T., who passed them on to Bill W.
That was the beginning of what we all have been given.
Anyway, we talked about all of this and what the effect was on both of us. We’re both sober and doing what we need to do on a daily basis. Staying sober a day at a time and doing what we have to do, to continue to grow in this program. We both expressed our gratitude. Thankful to our Higher Power and all those, who have helped us stay sober.