This is what I did yesterday, and believe me, it took all day. Specifically from 10:00 a.m. till 8:30 p.m. It was good therapy. And now I have almost enough salsa to last a year.I went to my old home group yesterday morning. Someone was there celebrating 20 years of sobriety. My friend Elmer told him "Congratulations on your 20 years, that's a good start." I laughed, but I was the only one. I have grown accustomed to a meeting where the people with 20 days are the experts, doling out advice to the "newcomers." So, I looked around this room and counted 12 people with over 20 years of sobriety. No one thought it was funny or cute to call 20 years "a good start." Oh Thank You God, I need to remember where I belong. This is the group of people I got sober with. We were a bunch of misfits back then - that is why I like the new meeting with the 20 day sober people being the experts - it was in a group like that that I got sober. We hung out together, as someone said yesterday in the meeting, we were all together in a sinking ship. And we stayed sober.
So now I can go to this group and be one of the gang. No one thinks I am stellar for my 23 years of sobriety. No one has outrageous expectations of me, they just expect me to be me. AND they remember what I used to be like. There is something so comforting in that. To sit in a room with more than a couple of people who have known me from day 1 of sobriety is just wonderful. And I am so grateful that in this room, no one is the expert. We are just a bunch of drunks. Most of us are sober for a long time, but none of us have "graduated" to where we come to meetings to make speeches about how great we are.
I thank God for the loving arms of Alcoholics Anonymous. The healing power of a bunch of drunks. It is most incredible, but it works. I have come to trust in its power.
"God will not desert us when the chips are down; indeed, He did not when we were drinking. And so it should be with the remainder of life. Certainly, He does not plan to save us from all troubles and adversity. Nor, in the end, does He save us from so-called death- since this is but an opening of a door into a new life, where we shall dwell among His many mansions. Touching these things I know you have a most confident faith." -- As Bill Sees It, p. 221
12 comments:
well you sound better today..and your salsa ROCKS.
Tonight is my meeting where people knew me the day I came in..and I do so love that too :)
The Mon-Fri 12:15 meetings are where those people are for me. I am the most comfortable there, even though there are many meetings a week in that room, it is with that particular group of drunks I feel at home.
Is it just my imagination, or is there a jar of salsa for each year of your sobriety?
When is your son going to write a guest post here?
What's in the pot at the end of the rainbow?
Why are there so many questions?
I can feel your gratitude and humility in this post. It is beautiful.
You always bring me to a better place each day. Thank you. I am thinking about a Chief Sherpa designation.....hahahaha
I am not sure what is worse - someone with 20 days freely sharing their opinions (I've gotten some of those lately) or anti-12 step friends freely sharing their opinions (I have gotten a LOT of that as well). If I could just have a moment to breathe and think...that would be nice. Thanks for sharing your pespective and such! It always provided a lot of food for thought.
Kindly,
K.
oh my thats alot of canned salsa
WOW
I miss being in a meeting where they knew when
But then again I was still acting nutsy just 6 years ago. They were kind and tolerated me then and still do today
so glad I stopped in to catch up today...your ES & H and gratitude in spite of sorrow and unpredictable times are such an inspiration when AI need to keep on "keepin on". Thanks MC
Your salsa looks yummy.....
Double dipping here. Your sink is just so clean! And the jars of salsa are so neatly laid out. Actually, just like I suspected. LOL
very cool post MC and thats a lot of tomato's. The god thing is huge.. fellowship with aa + god = love
Can you trade salsa recipes? I have a salsa fetish. Looks like you have one too!!
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