LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL It gives me pleasure to introduce to bloggers who may not have met this college girl, three years sober, who has been blogging (with us) less than one month. Please help me welcome Garden Variety Drunk, who posts under the title ANOTHER REAL ALCOHOLIC. How about leaving your cyber-mark on her blog by commenting? Thanks!
Steve E
SATURDAY
"I prayed and a nice, private opportunity came up during the afternoon. I was able to make amends, which were received well."
The above statement, taken from a young person's blog I read today, gives me much hope that our fellowship is in not as bad a shape as some claim. I'm witnessing what seems to be a resurgence in Step Work, in Following the Traditions, in Service, and in what matters, the Willingness, and the Spiritual Growth of members and membership of Alcoholics Anonymous.
How wonderful it is--to read someone so young (I'm guessing-grin!) who is REALLY taking this thing seriously. It took me years to realize some of these Step Ten benefits:
1. First, any work planned on these steps 6-10, almost always should be worked under adult supervision--meaning: Sponsor!
2. In Step Ten, with my cooperation, God can and does melt human hearts to forgiveness, and often brings to those hearts a new, warm and loving friendship.
3. Since the REAL object of Step Ten is for me to change, with God's help...I become a better person. There is no way this cannot happen.
4. Being a better person (even though I may not realize it) lets me become a better, more believable ambassador for God's messages of sobriety, serenity and happiness. This allows me to be of greater helpfulness to others, using my experience and God's Strength, and the Hope he has given me.
I wish to let you know how glad it makes me feel to be in contact with another--who is IN contact! OK?
In service, and LOVE,
Peace.
Steve E
8 comments:
I am really enjoying your posts. It's tough when you're new around here to get caught up on all the stuff that happened before. But I am loving it! Thanks for the warm welcome and I look forward to getting to getting to know you better.
God Bless,
TK
Perfectly said Steve. Thank you.
Yes, about the sponsorship. When I started my amends list, my low self esteem had me apologizing to everyone for having crossed their doorway. Luckily I had a sponsor who set me straight. Sponsors can be a check and balance system so that you don't bend the program to fit your personal pathology.
Steve, it's wonderful that you are posting right along the road that you are traveling. You and PG have really put some miles on that RAV 4. And probably tiring FLEX out (still hate her!)
Changing yourself so you can be of service to God and others--wise words from the highway (of life;).
Agreed, generally...
While my observations indicate that AA, as we know it now, will disappear in our lifetime absent some divine intervention, we're talking about the same power that gave this tongue-chewing, knee walking, babbling drunk more than 25 years of sobriety. Anything is possible.
Seeing the young-uns "get it" is the joy and the hope of my life.
Blessings and aloha...
Hi Steve.
Hi Steve,
When you wrote "college girl," my mind flashed to me when I was just a girl of 17 heading off to college for the first time and I sort of cringed. All that potential almost killed me. I'm gratefully to be back in school almost 10 years later, with a focus and clarity of mind and purpose that were painfully missing the first time around. Of course, it's hard to have clarity of anything with all that free-flowing alcohol and pretension. ;)
I wish that all would heed your wise thoughts. And I hope that AA won't be irrevocably changed in my lifetime.
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