Sunday, November 28, 2010

The View from a Bridge

Yesterday my running club took a little journey to a nearby mountain town. We ran (or in my case, walked) on trails. I set out to do 8 miles, but my buddies and I decided at two miles to turn around and head back. 4 miles at 8,000 feet altitude and up and down some serious hills, climbing on rocks and dodging roots and stray rocks, slippery sand, and other environmental hazards was quite adequate. And today my legs actually hurt from the effort.

I met a sponsee at a meeting this morning. It is nice to have these connections. It is nice to have a meeting to go to. It was particularly nice that I went and sat in my old seat at the meeting. I always sat in the same seat for many years, about five years ago a man decided he would sit there. So, I sat next to him. Before long, I realized that another woman wanted to sit with him, so I moved. I actually felt uncomfortable sitting there, as if I were intruding on their assigned seating. Five years later, those two seldom attend that meeting, but still no one will sit in those seats. That whole corner of the room remains empty, as if a silent shrine to their absence. So, I walked over this morning and sat in "his" seat. A moment later another of my friends moved from where he had been sitting and came and sat in "her" seat.

It reminds me of the story about how Dr. Bob had a seat at the meeting at Kings School in Akron. After his death, it sat empty, an eerie reminder of his passing. Eventually, a new guy came and sat in his chair, and everyone was relieved. No one said a word to the new fellow, it was natural that Dr. Bob's place would eventually be filled. They say nature abhors a vacuum.

We do just fill up those spaces. Thank God I get to be in one of them today. But I must remember that in Alcoholics Anonymous, none of us are that important individually, it is the whole that is important. The whole, that fills up spaces and doesn't allow voids.

It is good.

12 comments:

Let Go, Let God said...

I really enjoyed reading about the seat in your meeting. Nature abhors a void. I will ponder that one. Thanks.

JeremyRT said...

It is GOOD. Great post, thank you!

Jess Mistress of Mischief said...

:) Great story about the seat filled. Nature does abhor a vacuum

Syd said...

I am glad that you sat there.

Dr24Hours said...

I wrote about how When Ed died, we didn't want anyone sitting in his seat. The first week. Now, people sit there. It's right. And Ed wouldn't want his seat empty like some haunted chair. He'd want it to welcome another drunk.

We shouldn't elevate the individual, and for the most part we don't. The society is bigger. The unity.

dAAve said...

It's an interesting study in human nature to watch us in the rooms.

Scott M. Frey said...

you're well connected from what I can tell... between the bridge, the mountains, the sponsee, the meetings and the memory of Dr Bob, you're well connected.

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

Guinevere said...

I hadn't heard that story about Dr. Bob's seat... thanks for that.

Hope said...

You're being unusually quiet. I hope everything is okay.

Syd said...

Hope that all is well with you.

Charles Somerville said...

I don't like people sitting in the same seats at meeting...or anywhere for that matter.

Got to keep trying new things even if it is 'just' a different view of the room

drug detox said...

Thanks for sharing this. It's nice to read about your reflections on the whole being more important than the individual. So true.

I'm sure the run helped to bring that out. Nothing quite like a mountain run.