RANT...OR DIE!RANT: NUMBER 2
A "CHIP" MOMENT
A "CHIP" MOMENT
Recently I witnessed a "chip" moment when, in our area, we give out a chip for continuous sobriety time. To do or not do this is a group-by-group decision, and not my rant. My Coin is a reminder--in my pocket always--of where I came from, and the fantastic trip to where I am now!
The following, however, really pissed me off. The "chip person" held up the one-day-to-one-week chip, asking for whoever might qualify, and wish to be recognized as a "new or returning" member. When nobody came up, the chip-guy almost whispered, "If anyone wishes a 24-hour chip, and is too shy to come up and get one, see me after the meeting, and I'll give it to you in private." If I had been a female newcomer attending I might have wondered WHAT he was wanting to give me "in private"....
In My Opinion, some reasons for someone new being asked up front to receive a "Desire" chip, is to inject a small dose of humility right off the bat; to let others see who is new; to allow the new person to feel a part of, rather than--you know--apart from; to get accustomed to the feel of coming away from the "back wall, to the front of the room"--which is a real achievement for many of us.
I believe we in AA sometimes thwart the initial growth and therefore the staying power of new people, by lining the bed of the newcomer with a feather mattress.
Really, I LOVE new people, as do you bloggers. I shall NEVER forget the first morning after I was "introduced" to this online group of bloggers with a link to my new blog on "ONE'S" blog. A whole long list of 12 comments appeared welcoming me to the "group", and how welcomed I DID feel! Have I ever thanked you for that? Every one of those "welcomers" is still here (12 of you) except for a lady named Ann P., sober about 35 years now, age 76--does anyone know her URL? If so, please get it to me. Thanks!
A wondrous thing about the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous. I can keep making mistakes, keep screwing up, making amends, F**king up again and again--and STAY SOBER all the while! How about that? I've heard it called "the process"...and I'm in that process, now and forever. Amen.
Peace and LOVE,
Steve E
