DOES THE HORSE GO BEHIND THE CART?

Is this how AA will one day appear to the drunk at the door?

SINCE WHEN DOES THE HORSE GO
BEHIND THE CART? Hmmmmmm?

Friday morning I attended two really great meetings--they usually are! After B & B (That's Breakfast & Blogging! for you Benedictine addicts!), I biked to some errands. On way home from the bank, I passed a little meeting room called "The Serenity Club", just before 12 noon. What does one do, when a situation like that presents itself? Well, I stopped in.

Now, this is a place very near to my house, but where I seldom attend meetings--don't really know why, bad vibes from the past, maybe? Well, I knew several of the ten in attendance. The chairperson I used to sponsor (Mr.soberwetpants), couple years ago, until he fired me (something about a resentment? -grin). And the meeting was a 12X12 reading, then discussion.

Mr.soberwetpants announced we were on Step NINE, that he had several weeks before, started the step study on Step TWELVE, and was moving backwards. I truly thought he was joking, but everyone just turned to step 9, as if this was a common way to work and learn about the steps.

I hate to be (always, lately, it seems?) the "bad guy" and so I usually sprinkle lots of sugar on my remarks when I'm telling people they are waaaay off the beam. But I had to let them know that our beautiful God-given Steps, forged through the hard experiences of early members, were numbered in such a way as the plans for a building are numbered. Most of the guys there were out-of-work construction employees, so they fully understood the analogy of a solid foundation on which the rest of the building is placed.

So, I was more than attentive, as the small group "shared" on Step NINE. It seemed to be all about saying, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry", to all who might listen: family, friends, co-workers, strangers. And there was lots of talk about "forgiveness". Mr.soberwetpants said, "I first had to forgive myself"...UGH! I nearly threw up!

I HAD to let them know my incredulousness at how little was really being understood in this room, regarding this step. The fact that this--and the Fourth Step--more than all others, required a sponsor was unheard of. The fact that "Making Amends" meant that somewhere along the line a CHANGE was necessary, was unknown in that room.

This group meets in Naples, where AA and Alanon is much alive, very strong, showing muscle-flexing growth--in every way. To think I just "happened to be riding by" this particular meeting at 12 noon was, of course, a coincidence, as we all now know -BIG GRIN!

However, when I go there Friday, it will not be coincidence, it will be an act of willingness to do God's will, if indeed it IS God's will.

Funny thing, we'll probably be on Step EIGHT, where we "make a list" of those people to whom we "made amends to" the day before!

Hey, Blogger Peeps, I am grinning at the preposterousness of this "backward method" of working the steps. I just cannot BELIEVE it! But I can and do believe God is in charge, and that God works mainly through people, in God's Own Time.

"In love and service" (I don't use those words often, or lightly),
Steve E.