Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Tuesday Morning

I accidentally slept until 6:31 this morning.  I woke up when I heard my daughter start her shower.  For me to be sitting here at 7 a.m., still mostly asleep, needing to be out of here in a half hour or hour is just crazy.

Last night at Biblical School, our instructor was talking about a fabulous book, and he did have several on hand to sell if we wanted one.  One of my fellow students jumped up, and said he would buy them all for Christmas presents for us!  He coughed up nearly $200., and passed out the books, to the glee of the recipients.  But after he sat down, I watched him. He is an older man - which at this point might mean he is my age or slightly older - and I have never been in a group with him, so I don't know him, but I have seen him every Monday night for a year and a half.  Last night I saw his face transformed into something beautiful.  Giving to others without expectation is about the best transformative therapy in the world!

It reminded me of learning this in AA.  So many years ago.  They always talked about doing something for someone else and not getting caught.  We would buy groceries and leave them on doorsteps, put a $20 bill in someone's pocket, or left in an envelope on the bulletin board of the club, etc.  I was often the recipient of others' good will when times turned hard for me.  One year, I opened my door to find a Christmas tree standing there.  Or I would find an envelope with $50 or $100 in my mailbox.  Anonymous.  

Do people still talk about this?  Do people still do this?  I go to groups now in a relatively affluent part of town.  I wonder if this is why I don't hear anything about the anonymous bags of groceries.  Or maybe we have lost our way and we are all about feeling good ourselves.... maybe.  I hope not.

12 comments:

Pammie said...

yes yes yes-we still do in my groups!!!

Lou said...

yes-we still do it in my group (& ministry group). Doesn't God want us to give that way? I don't know the specific scripture, but I know the teaching.

Was the book The Shack? I'm hearing it is great & Amazon is sold out, so there is a sign of it's popularity.

J-Online said...

Oh yes. We do it all the time.

Shannon said...

YES it still happens : ) U ROCK

ms. fits chicago said...

I haven't heard it said a lot, but I do know several people who tell their sponsees to anonymously do something nice for someone else at least once a day as a means of getting out of their own heads.

Findon said...

Happens here too. Unsaid. A great thing.

Wait. What? said...

Its a wonderful thing!

Syd said...

I don't know if it's done in Al-Anon or not. I think though that it's a great idea. I don't want it to be all about me. Maybe I'm keeping the focus too much on myself.

Scott W said...

I don't know about money or groceries, but once I came in and someone said I had won the split the pot raffle the night before. I had not been there nor do I know who bought the ticket, but I won $150.

I have these little manilla envelopes, about 2" x 3" and some times I do little secret things with them.

Unknown said...

I know that people in AA here will help you if you ask, but I've not witnessed this type of sharing and it's amazing to me. I remember my first sponsor when I told her that I pay for the person behind me in line for movie tix, parking or leave a $20 for the next person at the grocery store, she said that it wasn't giving it was feeding my ego, so I've been terribly conflicted as I love to do these sorts of things but it's not so accepted here...I've gotten flack from others too...but I think I may try some of these...
G

Syd said...

MC, I left you something over at my site so I hope that you'll pick it up. Merry Christmas.

Kathy Lynne said...

yes we do!!