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Post by caressa on Oct 20, 2009 9:27:47 GMT -5
Had a few long-timers in my early recovery too. One was so special I looked on him as my spiritual advisor. He had 48 years in recovery. There were some that had long periods of being sober but didn't have sobriety. There is a gentleman here who has 57 years. He oozes sobriety, tells it as it is as you say, there is a twinkle in his eye, he is a walking testamony that the program works. You can't help but want what he has.
He left his home group and went to another because they read "Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow" which is not AA approved literature at their meeting. They made the decision to quit reading the piece of prose, and he went back.
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Post by Marcie on Oct 21, 2009 8:10:06 GMT -5
Well, my long timer friend's AA aniversary wasn't yesterday, it's next Tuesday. ;D I looked at my calandar wrong, but I take things like this as I was supposed to be there and I did hear a lot of things I needed. This meeting use to be my homegroup and it was really great to see the ones who are still there. But, there were some faces missing. This disease is cunning baffling and powerful. Did see a couple folks that had just come back after they found another bottom and thank God - It doesn't sound any better out there.
Everyone got a big laugh at my mistake (long story) but, it did start a discussion on how good it is to be sober. Even if we're having a "not so good day". Any bad day sober is a whole lot better than any good day drunk.
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Post by caressa on Oct 21, 2009 9:56:17 GMT -5
How true. I am very grateful that I hit a spiritual and an emotional bottom after I came into recovery and didn't pick up, but for the grace of God and the strong support system I had at the time, I was able to work through it. Using has never been an option for me. I have always known, if I picked up it would be to die. I certain death wish, especially if I picked up a cigarette.
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Post by Marcie on Oct 22, 2009 5:44:55 GMT -5
Good Morning - Enjoyed a great meeting last night and am looking forward to the HomeGroup meeting tonight. I'm chairing this month and am ready for my turn to be over. I love to do my part, but...  I don't seem to get the same thing out of a meeting that I do when I don't have to think.   |
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Post by Marcie on Oct 25, 2009 17:15:01 GMT -5
Good Afternoon, almost evening Spent a good part of yesterday with a women who shared her 5th Step with me. I remember when I did mine, whew, it wiped me out.... for a few days. ;D Being on the other end does the same thing to me, but in a really good way. What an honor. Have also been praying, meditating, and listen to others. I'm going to have to let a woman go. I'll not take her inventory here. Let's just say she has decided to put other people places and thing in front of her recovery. I'm learning and have been told that when I'm working harder on someone's recovery than they are, it's time to let go. I hate this part of sponsorship, but then I remember the Big Book state something like---not to waste too much time on any one alkie because that may deny someone else the opportunity to get sober. Something like that anyway. Hope all had a good weekend!! |
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Post by Marcie on Oct 26, 2009 6:44:59 GMT -5
 Good Morning ! Little on the tired side, but am ready for what my Higher Power has in store for me. Had that talk with sponsee. It was not easy to do. But, the ball is in her court. It's up to her. Her choice. It took me a while to be able to do it, but with some time, prayer and listening, we both did the best we could at acting like adults and keeping it on Recovery, not personal. That is big growth for me. LOL Have a great 24, if you want to.  |
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Post by caressa on Oct 26, 2009 10:31:45 GMT -5
Thank you for sharing. I went to Al-Anon because of sponsees and close friend's relapsing. I know my son has freedom of choice. I picked up the phone and called him yesterday because I hadn't heard from him. Found out he had been away to a friend's job working. That probably included drinking, but that is his choice. The nice thing was that the cottage was up north near where we use to live and I was totally envious of his being able to get out of town, visit the village and see the fall splendor. Love the fall because it means Thanksgiving (Canadian) and celebrates Halloween. Attachments:
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Post by Marcie on Oct 27, 2009 6:05:12 GMT -5
Okay... Today's the day my friend picks up his 38 years. I'm so grateful to be able to see this. He is not in the best of health, but this has not stopped him, ever, from "Passing It On"
Have a great 24!!
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Post by Marcie on Oct 28, 2009 13:07:07 GMT -5
Hello and Good Afternoon. Spent a little quality time, this morning, with the man that never lost hope and I'm very grateful he didn't. I've heard in meetings and it's somewhere in the Big Book, I think, about us alkies being able to find mates like that. I can hear sponsor now. "You need to find where it says that." Yesterday I was so honored. My friend, who now has 38 years of sobriety, ask me to give him his medallion. I was so excited. I had to keep reminding myself "It wasn't about me". ;D I will, I hope, always remember this. He has really helped in my recovery. I don't think he knows how much. It's a great day to be sober!! I'm also thinking about the ones still out there, who don't know there's a way out.. |
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Post by Marcie on Oct 29, 2009 11:46:32 GMT -5
 and good afternoon.  I've got the Homegroup meeting tonight. I've chaired all month and tonight it is my last time to chair. At least for this year. I don't do very well, I think, at chairing. It takes me out of my comfort zone. Thankfully they have the directions right in front of you. ;D I'm also grateful to A.A. for helping me to learn to walk through the uncomfortable and come out the other side. Once upon a time, I would have thought a drink would help me, but today, I know my Higher Power is right there. Have a great day!! |
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Post by SunnyGirl on Oct 29, 2009 12:35:32 GMT -5
Morning Marcie... Normally I try to stay on my side of the hall, I am not AA but really wanted to reply to your post this morning. I chaired meeting here for many years, Open Recovery and NarAnon.... My computer went down and I was MIA for at least a couple of years.... Have been back for a little over one year now and am chairing open recover meeting again. I now and always have felt out of my comfort zone, there are so many people with more recovery time than me. That and the fact that on-line recovery meetings are the only meeting type I have ever been to. But, I am so grateful for what I have been given I want to give my time and reach out to others..... I love the idea that your group rotates chairing the meetings monthly. The problem I've found here is that not to many are willing to step up. I am willing to chair till I run out of steam and will hopefully have someone step up and take it for a while. For now, I am pumped up and get so much out of the meetings I am ready, willing and able to keep going and see what happens. I'll bet you are doing an excellent job of chairing and can hardly wait till next time.... Peace on the journey, SunnyGirl |
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Post by caressa on Oct 29, 2009 13:59:20 GMT -5
Don't see the board as divided, for me 12 Steps are 12 Steps and I can identify with feelings no matter where they come from or what the root cause of them were.
It is a real honor to give someone a pin. To be asked to take part in any anniversary is a real gift. I have had several highlites but one of the best was being asked to share my esh at a 40 year group anniversary and at a woman's 22 year anniversary. I was the first woman speaker she had every asked to share at her anniversary, she had always had men speakers before. I gave a girl her pin because her sponsor wasn't able to be there. It ended up we had the same sponsor. I had five years at the time and she had 11. I later asked her to be my co-sponsor because she was a native woman and I had a strong affinity for native culture even though I was of Celtic birth.
I am use to chairing as I opened a group and run it for seven years. We had seven meetings in six days although I delegated as much as possible
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Post by Marcie on Oct 29, 2009 15:23:19 GMT -5
Morning Marcie...
Normally I try to stay on my side of the hall, I am not
AA but really wanted to reply to your post this morning.
Peace on the journey, SunnyGirl Come on over anytime. Around here us akies know anon's always have the best baked good. Seriously-- I may sometimes cross over too, but I have to have that strong tug, as you did. I know nothing about any of the other fellowships, but do feel our aim is the same. I try to share where I have experience. I use to think I knew everything, Grace of God, I know very little today. Thank you for sharing with me.  |
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Post by Marcie on Oct 29, 2009 15:36:13 GMT -5
Don't see the board as divided, for me 12 Steps are 12 Steps and I can identify with feelings no matter where they come from or what the root cause of them were. Thanks Caressa!! I love what you shared. |
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Post by SunnyGirl on Oct 29, 2009 19:06:10 GMT -5
Thank you ladies and it's nice to know the welcome mat is out there. Marcie said it quite well, "I try to share where I have experience" and normally for me, it's on the side where the baked goods are.... ;D Hugs, SG |
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Post by Marcie on Oct 30, 2009 6:55:49 GMT -5
  Morning -- Gotta get a move on this morning. I've got a women coming over. We are about, I think, 1/25 through her 1st Step. Nope, I'm not sure. Why? I'm learning to let them keep up with that. Recently had a big lesson on working harder on someone else's recovery than they are. I also found, if I'm working on theirs, mine suffers. And it did, but Grace of God, I believe I'm on the beam this morning. Have a great 24, if you want to. |
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Post by Marcie on Oct 31, 2009 7:00:25 GMT -5
Okay Today is all about me. lol Kind of kidding, but I am hoping to re-charge today. To spend as much time as I can reflecting on the week. I haven't been doing to well, at all, on that nightly (written) Tenth Step, so as not to let things start piling up... After dinner, it's off to this really, funny, chaotic, un-organized, meeting. I LOVE IT!!!! Things went really well with the new women yesterday. I really needed that. To see and feel how un-manageable life can get again without my H.P. and A.A. Have a good day, if you want to. |
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Post by caressa on Oct 31, 2009 12:03:26 GMT -5
It is always good to be with new people. They are building a new detox that will be within walking distance of me. I miss not going to the old one, we had a great support group there. I was never in detox myself, did it alone at my room at the YWCA and the living hell is something I have never wanted to repeat and was a big factor in never picking up again.
The one they have now is not close and haven't felt called to be a part of it. They moved the women from the local jail and now there are only adult males there. There use to be Young Offenders, guys and gals when I started, then just guys and now they have been moved too. They were such a blessing.
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Post by Marcie on Nov 1, 2009 15:57:03 GMT -5
Little late today. Had some A.A. reading I needed to do. The meeting last night was really good. My young, in sobriety, sponsee usually goes to this meeting too and last night she really let a lot of thing out during the meeting, which spilled over to after the meeting. We sat in the car another 30 or 40 minutes after. Anyway, I needed to see what the big book said about a couple of things and ended up reading some things I needed to read. It's all good |
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Post by Marcie on Nov 2, 2009 8:56:47 GMT -5
 Good Morning!! This is the first morning in a few days that I have not woke up "thinking" at people. You know, "I'm going to tell them, and if they say...., I'll say..." And "If they do this... I'll do that..." Ghezz I hate that. Use to thrive on it. I guess I gotten some unfinished business out of the way. That always helps. Have a great 24!!
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I don't seem to get the same thing out of a meeting that I do when I don't have to think. 
Good Morning!!
. I will be back looking for Lin and others.