Monday, February 19, 2007

Step 12

Practical experience shows that nothing
will so much insure immunity from drinking
as intensive work with other alcoholics.
It works when other activities fail.
This is our twelfth suggestion:
Carry this message to other alcoholics!
You can help when no one else can.
You can secure their confidence when other fail.
Remember they are very ill. P89

I had no idea of the depth & gravity
of this statement when I was
CONTINUALLY reminded from
very early on
to go to a meeting and help a newcomer
...when i felt miserable!!

It works
no longer miserable
continuing to follow the suggestion
taking it out into the work place
social stuff
Knowing when to
restrain tongue & not to give advice
and when to share experience
takes practice!!
Praying for people helps

Someone said the 12th step is like
when we stop looking for mirrors and
start looking out of the windows
(i think i may be opening the curtains)

P89 Big Book Alcoholics Anonymous

3 comments:

An Irish Friend of Bill said...

"I was CONTINUALLY reminded from
very early on
to go to a meeting and help a newcomer
...when i felt miserable!!"

Yep. works for me too!
Newcomers are an EXTREMELY POWERFUL gateway to healing. I have found NOTHING more powerful. I LOVE that passage, and I try to get sponsees to understand the meaning of that statement as SOON as I possibly can, as it saves me SO much grief if they figure it out sooner rather than later!!
Have a cool day!

Anonymous said...

I have to agree. When I get stuck in the dangerous neighborhood of my own head nothing else helps faster than talking to another drunk. It takes the focus right off me.

twodogsblogging said...

One of the cool things with my involvement on the phone line is that I know when people are having hard times in recovery and I sock it to them with returning calls to newcomers and 12 Step Work. Shhh. It's a secret!