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Well I went to a meeting of my other program this morning (church that is..he he) and was sure glad I didnt pick today to sleep late!!!
The person who normally leads our "meetings" is on vacation week, so a "guest speaker" was there for us today. This man is retired from leading "meetings" such as the one I attended this morning and I know him from another program he and I are associated through. Well things were going along pretty much as they always do when it came time for the "speaker" to give us his presentation.
I was somewhat surprised when he started relating passages out of our groups approved literature (the bible that is) regarding lepers and leprosy, to the sicknesses that so many of us carry around inside of us....ie.... hate, resentment, fear..sin. He then told us that he was a member of Alcoholics Anonymous and started describing for the gathering steps 4-7 and how healing using these steps could be to everyone. How it could show us how to live our lives free of the "illnesses" we carry around inside of us that keep us from fully realizing our freedom and potential for happiness and love. And how they would help us to get in touch with living the kind of lives our HP wants us too.
Well you know...I shouldnt be surprised that my higher power would show up at this meeting wearing his AA/Al-Anon smock, but I was anyway. I have often felt like my higher power, whom I first truly met through Al-anon, somehow changes his uniform on Sundays, so that He can be there in a different way for this other group of people. Although I myself realize how these two programs share so many of the same ideas and principals, each of them is separated from the other. One by the need not to single out any one idea of a HP, and the other is usually seperated from the former by the need to maintain anonymity amongst its membership.
I just wanted to share with you how great it was for me to have both of my programs overlap full bore today. And how wonderful it was to have this man stand up in front of a room full of people who might judge him or look at him differently in the future and tell them he was an alcoholic. He went on to tell them what that meant. That he was not a drunk anymore. That he was sober. At this point the whole group applauded him. He shrugged if off. And told us all, dont applaud me I have nothing to do with my sobriety. It is all due to my HP. I could do nothing for myself. It took the third step of alcoholics anonymous and the eventual working of all 12 steps for me to be here today before you as I am. Sober and free.
Wow, it was so inspiring to me. I am so grateful to have been led by my HP to Al-Anon. It is showing me a way to live, that I never knew existed. I am slowly getting it, down deep inside of me. I read the other night that the quality of our lives is about 10% circumstances and 90% attitude. Wow, isnt that amazing? And for me at least, I think that is pretty close to the truth.
All I can say folks is this.... It works if you work it. And please, Keep Coming Back!
David, I am just sitting here with my mouth flopping open. I went to my church last night (can go either Sat or Sun) and the sermon was about addiction. He didn't quote from the AA literature, but he did relate to lepers and leprosy. He quoted other people and comments, etc. It was so good for me since my daughter is in rehab right now. Couldn't have been at a better time for me. He is also retired but does Sunday masses. He said he didn't know of one priest who had ever preached on this very important topic. Such a coincidence.
Yup that was the topic for us too this weekend. Unfortunately the usual priest couldnt make it so we had a substitute. Our usual priest often refers to AA, addiction, etc. Thats why I switched to his Church!
I wish I could find an AA friendly church as mine is not. I would switch in a minute. I love God and I truly believe that He brought me to Al-Anon. I did not have peace until then.
I have often felt like my higher power, whom I first truly met through Al-anon, somehow changes his uniform on Sundays, so that He can be there in a different way for this other group of people. Although I myself realize how these two programs share so many of the same ideas and principals, each of them is separated from the other. One by the need not to single out any one idea of a HP, and the other is usually seperated from the former by the need to maintain anonymity amongst its membership.