Thru The Eyes And Words Of The Wise

[aasharon90]

Hi Im Sharon and Im an Alcoholic.

I recieved this from one of the WISER Alcoholics traveling the road of recovery before me and i wanted to share it with you.

WORDS FROM THE WISE.....

....What I saw was a road to hope when I went to my first external
treatment center meeting. The old timers where and I believe still are the
pillars of our program for they have learned and are sharing their ESH. I
noticed the old timers would arrive early for the pre-AA meeting.
Busying themselves with service to others and setting up and making coffee.
They were in fluid action with smiles and a positiveness that I wanted.
They shared during the meeting and never during those shares did I ever
hear them talk about how close they were to their next drunk. There
were no yets always how this program has given them a life they
never thought possible. These old timers would sit at the table not in
the back of the room and after the meeting, they were the last to leave.

I was very fortunate for those old timers were willing to stay and talk
after the meeting. Then they would close up and move the post meeting
to a restaurant or more than not in my sponsors case to an ice cream
parlor. All my sponsors up to the present were very heavy in service.
Three of my sponsors were past delegates and I, through their guidance
have been heavy in service now over 18 years. Every one of them over
the years who would see a newcomer sink to the back of the room would
welcome them and suggest that they join them at the table. Those who did
not had an old timer sit next to them in the back of the room. They
soon realized that sitting at the table was the place to be and to not
have shame or guilt that they too were an alcoholic.

Today, I do not look back on the past and attempt to see what others
may see when they first come in. Instead I have learned to use all 36
steps of this program and be available and extend the hand of AA. The
focus is using the Traditions and Concepts as well as the Steps in
assisting others as well as arriving as early as possible and staying as late
as possible. Encouragement, positiveness and willing to change are part of
my service to the newbie. All I have is simply my ESH to share with
those who seek it, not to be one who enforces it on the unwilling.

As a friend of mine who has also been accused as being a crusty old
timer says, we are here because we want to be here. Others are here
because they are told to be here. The one who stay are those who
want to be with us. The newcomer is our life and through our spiritual
awakenings, these newcomers continue to give us that awakening and
desire to extend our hand to them.....

I couldnt have said it more eliquently than this.