The material presented
here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method
to exchange
information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal
level.
For all of those who responded to my "Patience Grasshopper" post thanks.
You folks are the best.
When I went to bed after I posted that on Friday night, I decided to get up the next morning and head into a meeting in San Antonio. No meetings where I am on Saturdays. It is an hour and a half drive, and I used the time to think and do some praying.
When I got to the place where the meeting is, (Club 12 in San Antonio, if you are ever there (SA) check this place out, great meetings) I was a little early so got myself a drink and sat down in their common area at a table by myself. In about 2 minutes I would estimate, no less than 3 other men sat down at the table with me. Each introduced themselves to me and wanted to know if I was there for a meeting. They all happened to be alcoholics in recovery. When I told them I was there for an alanon meeting, they made the obligatory jokes about what it is like to be in meetings with a room full of woman, then let that issue drop (interestingly enough..later on two of those three men came up to me individually and told me that on Monday nights they have a men's alanon meeting that they attend at this same place). After that we just started talking about our similiarities, and stopped looking at our differences. It was great! One of the men was an "old timer" with 42 years of sobriety. Everyone, that came into room, had to stop and say hi to him and be introduced to myself.
I felt so much a part of.
When it was time for the meetings to start, they went to their AA room and I went into the Al-anon room. The meeting was excellent. The topic was...hmmmmmm... Self Pity!!! he he he. (Please read my - Patience Grasshopper post if you havent, to see the appropriateness of the topic for me)
After the meeting was over, back out in the common room, I ran into a young man from my group at home. He had missed the meeting but was there talking with his sponsor. We decided to go have coffee at Starbucks. There was another young gentleman standing off to the side, that I had not really noticed who came over and asked if he could join us at Starbucks. Of course we said sure, and all loaded up in Calliope (My car) and headed over to Starbucks.
Turned out this young man was an A with 10 months sobriety. He was attending his first meeting in SA having moved there from another part of the state. He was very homesick for his friends in his home group and was reaching out. We spent the next 2 hours visiting, the 3 of us. Him telling us his story, which was truly amazing......10 months from being broke and homeless to having a great job and a new life...all because of AA, and myself and my friend from home telling him ours.
It was wonderful. When it was time for us to go, we exchanged phone numbers and hugged.
Present opened, new friend in my life. Thank you, God.
After I dropped our new friend off at the club, the young man from my home wanted to go look at some cars, he asked me for directions to a dealership I had recommended to him, and I just asked if he minded if I just drove him over and looked with him. He said that would be great and off we went. We spent some time walking around the lot, sitting in different cars, debating cost/gas mileage ratios, getting info from the sales person.
At one point I realized that the salesman thought I was my friends father. (There is a 20 year age difference between us) I just smiled and it made me feel so good. Kinda felt like I was. Made me know what it would be like to go shopping for my step-son's first new car.
Present opened, getting to spend a special time with someone I am close too. Thank you God.
I was a little down Friday night. That's okay. It is gonna happen. I can't be up all the time. I am so grateful that this program has taught me what to do to get better.
Get my butt up off that pity pot and get to a meeting. Make a new friend. Spend some time with an old one.
God lets me open presents every day. I just gotta open the ones that he is ready for me to open.
Ok David WTH.... do you have cameras in my house watching me pace around cleaning up here and there and feeling sorry for myself in between today?
LOL
That is a wonderful post and such a great reminder that some of those gifts are not just sitting around my dusty house. Some of them, I need to go search for. Just have to keep an open mind - cause I don't know what they are yet.
One of them is this post, and you my good friend.
Thanks for being here and sharing your recovery! It means a lot to so many!
Take care of you!
Hmmmm.... now where are those cameras....
__________________
"Good judgement comes from experience... experience comes from bad judgement" - unknown
(((David)) may you continue to receive many blessings...many presents... i pray that HP hold guide and keep you. i love the way you write. you truly are an inspiration. thank you soooooo much for the es&h.
I really enjoyed your post too. I never ever thought about it as "opening presents" I call them "prizes" so now I am going to look for the prizes I get everyday. I'm like you in the aspect that I love to hang out with people, I love making new friends. My problem is if they have a problem I want to help "fix" them. Gotta stop doing that! lol I'm really glad you found a home meeting and I hope you go again and I'm glad you just walked across the room and talked to the guy that was kinda by himself. I learned in church to do that and I always make it a point to meet the person that is standing alone, they are usually the one's who just need a hello. :) I'm proud of you. Keep going that route okay? Good luck.
). After that we just started talking about our similiarities, and stopped looking at our differences. It was great! One of the men was an "old timer" with 42 years of sobriety. Everyone, that came into room, had to stop and say hi to him and be introduced to myself. 
the way
you write. you truly are an
inspiration.