DRINKING ALCOHOL TAUGHT ME HOW TO FLY
THEN IT TOOK AWAY THE SKY

Saturday, November 8, 2008

WELCOME HOME!

"Well, it's not much....but it's HOME!"



NOTE: In Akron, Ohio, at Dr Bob's home,

a greeter at the door announces to all who enter,
in a musical, slowly paced voice, "Welcome Home!"

At my 7 AM meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous, I've been acting as official greeter for a couple months. This morning my sponsor--who has one year less of sobriety than I, big deal--well, he walked up, and I said my usual, "Welcome Home" line, reaching out to shake his hand. He informed me that he thought he was suffering from a highly contagious disease, and so would not shake my hand.


I felt a bit of sorrow for him, and five seconds later, he had both arms around some young thing (girl), was hugging her and KISSED her! (Later he informed me that it was SHE kissed HIM--but I know that a good kiss takes TWO!) Only then did it dawn on my dimwitted brain, that I had not called him or even seen him for several weeks...and he was using contagiousness to illustrate that fact. (Like, I had not been with him because of his being contagious!)

Guess what was the meeting topic? Sponsorship! Isn't that the way it happens--EVERY time? So I had to admit to myself and to a small AA group of ninety other people-grin-, my very recent 'sponsor-contagious-disease' experience. Of course, that included my own laxity in making use of my sponsor. (He didn't even know Anna and I had been away on a 7-night cruise!) Well....I'm still learning. But hey, these are things I teach OTHERS, to keep their sponsor informed of EVERYTHING! And here I'm 'guilty as charged' for not doing them myself! Sound familiar?

As in: "Do as I say, not as I DO!" (sigh!) Guess I am 'home', after all?

greet-a-roni

11 comments:

Lou said...

You don't write, you don't call..stop holding out, secrets-o-Roni.

Shannon said...

sometimes sponsors do have diseases lol jk happy saturday

Unknown said...

Great post and so true.
:-)

Just Another Sober Guy said...

Some are sicker than others I have been told, LOL But it seems to have been a somewhat temporary and selective illness in his case.

Yes, that is just how it works. Somebody says something to you as you leave for the meeting or outside before you go in and BAM! you knew the topic before the meeting started! You just didn't know it yet!

Good stauuf my friend! Glad I found ya here too!

jiggins said...

Silly-ness. I guess it's difficult to NOT wonder what t hat was all about. :) Hope your day is going well.. see ya on the next post!

Anonymous said...

If you decide to make another trip to Akron, pick me up on the way. I'm ready to go back.

J-Online said...

at least you can admit your mistake!!! That is very big of you!

Jess Mistress of Mischief said...

Those 2x4s to the head are so incredibly awesome and enlightening aren't they?

I love getting things so much when it's easy, but when it's a hard lesson, one that involves me feeling it to the center of my gut, the reward of understanding is so much the better! So much stronger, and has so much more Power.

Thanks for sharing this, it reminds me... to be a lot more grateful for the sponsorship I've been given!

indistinct said...

Thanks for the reminder. I need to pick up that phone more often.

Mary Christine said...

Wow. If my sponsor wouldn't shake my hand it would freak me out.

One Prayer Girl said...

I can't say I'm much better in the sponsor-calling department.

I know what I need to do - CHANGE!