Thursday, June 23, 2011

our amazing program

After an amazing weekend spent sitting on the end of a dock fishing for two and a half days, it was time to come back to host an open house in one of my listings Monday evening, then right back to work Tuesday morning. The peace and quiet, lack of blackberry intrusions, computing, and phone calls was nice while it lasted lol. It just felt good to slow down for a couple days and spend time with my family and some close friends.

Yesterday, I was able to attend the noon AA meeting in town and I am glad I did. I had to spend a few minutes answering emails via blackberry as they worked through the readings and the initial discussion developed. (yea, I am THAT guy sometimes...) But, as one of the more recent newcomers began to speak, I dialed right in. He was talking about how when he first came to AA all he wanted to do (and needed to do) was stop drinking. He's been discovering that there is much, much more to AA and obritey than just not drinking. I love to hear a newcomer share about how they are really grasping the program, and how life is improving. He talked about how his wife was struggling to understand why he continues to come to meetings, even though he is no longer drinking. He received some good advice about how to be grateful to is wife for her support, and how he should strive to take what he learns in the meetings and apply it to his family life. most importantly, he received some excellent experience strenth and hope on hw many of us have kept sobriety as the most important thing in our lives, in an effort to repair all the damage done to our families, employers and so forth.

I sat and reflected on just how much my life has changed in the 15+ years I have been sober in AA. I continue to marvel at how unrecognizeable my life is when you compare it to how I was living when I got sober. I can clearly recall in vivid detail, how I lived before AA, and I pray I never forget, lest I repeat those mistakes. But, I cannot get over the transformation that has occured in my life, and all of the amazing blessings I have to be grateful for because I came to AA and got sober. My whole life, all the good things in it have all come as a result of getting sober in AA.

The newcomer marvelled at the depth and power of AA and how the program can help us in so many ways beyond just not drinking. I reminded him that the only step the focuses on alcohol is Step 1. The rest of the 12 Steps focus on the REAL problem... us! I've learned in my sober life that without a doubt, AA is divine in nature, a spiritual program given to us by our Higher Powers. I've learned that without a doubt, all good things in the world come from our Higher Power. There can be no mistake that AA is a God-given spiritual gift that i smeant to be shared and spread to those who want and need recovery from alcoholism and addiction.

Man am I glad I went to that meeting yesterday! I am so grateful for God, AA and sobriety!

4 comments:

dAAve said...

I love a meeting like that.
Thanks for sharing.

Sober Julie said...

It's so fantastic to hear that from somone in the rooms when I am not expecting it. Thank God for AA

Anonymous said...

Thanks for stopping by, Scott, and saying 'Hi.' I'm happy to have found your blog and will be adding it to my list of must-reads.

Syd said...

Thanks Scott. I am around a few people who stopped at step one and are not drinking but very dry. There is much more to the program than not drinking.