Friday, May 18, 2007

2 Days

Until my race. Woo Hoo! I am so excited! I am as ready as I am going to be... all my training is done. I will find out how effective it was on Sunday. And no matter what, when I finish, I will have recorded my best time ever and my personal record for a half-marathon!

Last night at the 5:30 meeting, there was almost a fight. A particularly obnoxious man was telling off one of my sponsees during the meeting, and she told him to knock it off, someone else entered the fray, and the chair put an end to it quickly. The obnoxious man called the chair a few nasty names, but it did end. I was really grateful we had someone with years (decades) 0f sobriety chairing the meeting, she was magnificent in her calm handling of a difficult situation. It could have been even more ugly. We are not only people who normally would not mix, but we are often people with a host of problems other than alcoholism - in various degrees of addressing those problems - or not. The obnoxious man is sober over 30 years, so I just imagine what he would be like if he were drinking, and I pray for him and thank God that he is sober. He lost his wife about ten years ago, and he has never really been the same since.

So last night in my written 10th step inventory, I got to count the fact that I kept my big mouth shut during this incident on the positive side of the ledger. I used to never pass by an opportunity to "enter the fray."

I am extremely grateful that I get to be a sober member of Alcoholics Anonymous and I no longer have unrealistic expectations of its members. We are sick people. Some of us are miracles of mental health, some others are not doing so well today, but if they don't pick up a drink there is always hope. God is Good!

"These are the growing pains of infancy, and we actually thrive on them. Surmounting such problems, in AA's rather rugged school of life, is a healthy exercise." -- As Bill Sees It, p. 143

13 comments:

Mama Dukes said...

good for the Chair and good for you
I'm glad God was in the room
How sad for the man

dAAve said...

I had the same basic conversation this morning about how sick we are. Except for me, of course. It's really strange being the only normal human amongst so many sickly persons.
I shall keep some conscious hope for you that your HP has a wonderful experience in store for you on Sunday.

Scott W said...

The good news is we are not all sick to the same degree on the same day. I still get surprised at some with very long term sobriety who so readily display their sickness.

Ms. V. said...

I'm sober 28 years, and I am absolutely swimming through the worst year of my sobriety. Years do NOT make one *well*.

It's the steps.

And God.

Anonymous said...

enjoy your race and good luck!

your Garmin Forerunner 305 looks like a killer toy. lol
I get gadget envy.

Zanejabbers said...

Hi, doing better. Did some meditating, went to a movie, looked at new homes and got out of self and KFUC. Man do I identify with jrhighpeteacher. Thanks for your support. Luv ya.

Clarity said...

Thanks for the great quote from "As Bill Sees It."

Scott M. Frey said...

good thing we aint all sick on the same day! lol

I will be thinkning about ya Sunday MC, good luck and most of all, enjoy!

Trudging said...

You go girl

Syd said...

I've never thought about the fact that altercations could occur at a meeting. It seems so out of synch with what meetings are about. Glad that the chair had a cool head.

Thinking about you and your race. Hope that all goes well. Can't wait to hear about it.

lushgurl said...

Today I kinda wish I could run with you, onlu I'd probably just keep on runnin' lol. I will be waiting to hear about how great you did, hope you can rest up first, and have a wonderful weekend. Lovin' ya!

kel said...

I always wanted to run a half marathon, I just totally lack the discipline. You impress and inspire me. You have no idea. When you run, think of those of us who look up to you and you dont evenknow it!! Best of luck, I am sure you will be brilliant!
~kel

Zanejabbers said...

Mary Christine, get those legs going girl, you've got a marathon to run in six hours. Go MC GO!