"Sam".....
I love Alcoholics Anonymous. It has literally saved my physical and emotional life. I usually go once every week, but of late have been much more often and not because I'm worried that I might start swilling vodka again. My propensity to drink alcohol was lifted over 12 years ago. My propensity for immature self-centered thinking was not. As one newcomer said in a meeting on Saturday, "you know, I always thought that AA was only about quitting alcohol and drugs, it's really about living, everyone I know should come to these meetings to learn about life". Well said.
Tonight when I was in the throes of obsessive thinking and self righteous indignation, I met "Sam". "Sam" is an Hispanic/Indian fellow, quiet and soft spoken, neatly dressed and about the same age as I am. As we spoke in our small group "Sam" described his life in terms that I could relate to. People coming and going in his life, mistakes he had made and small victories won. His description of his life reminded me that all in AA have some things in common incuding the desire to do better by recognizing our defects and working small steady steps to improve ourselves even if we are imperfect and that ultimately not only are we powerless over alcohol but also people. "Sam", his story and his lessons learned could have been mine.
Except that "Sam" has spent most of his adult life in prison, having just been released after serving a 20 year sentence. He kicked heroin 15 years ago while in prison, learned that in AA we depend only on ourselves and the maintenance of our spiritual progam for our success and that by helping others we relieve ourselves of the "bondage of self".
I know of few other places than AA that God would put a person like "Sam" before me when I needed to be reminded of what is important.
I love Alcoholics Anonymous. It has literally saved my physical and emotional life. I usually go once every week, but of late have been much more often and not because I'm worried that I might start swilling vodka again. My propensity to drink alcohol was lifted over 12 years ago. My propensity for immature self-centered thinking was not. As one newcomer said in a meeting on Saturday, "you know, I always thought that AA was only about quitting alcohol and drugs, it's really about living, everyone I know should come to these meetings to learn about life". Well said.
Tonight when I was in the throes of obsessive thinking and self righteous indignation, I met "Sam". "Sam" is an Hispanic/Indian fellow, quiet and soft spoken, neatly dressed and about the same age as I am. As we spoke in our small group "Sam" described his life in terms that I could relate to. People coming and going in his life, mistakes he had made and small victories won. His description of his life reminded me that all in AA have some things in common incuding the desire to do better by recognizing our defects and working small steady steps to improve ourselves even if we are imperfect and that ultimately not only are we powerless over alcohol but also people. "Sam", his story and his lessons learned could have been mine.
Except that "Sam" has spent most of his adult life in prison, having just been released after serving a 20 year sentence. He kicked heroin 15 years ago while in prison, learned that in AA we depend only on ourselves and the maintenance of our spiritual progam for our success and that by helping others we relieve ourselves of the "bondage of self".
I know of few other places than AA that God would put a person like "Sam" before me when I needed to be reminded of what is important.
