hello
353 is an alcoholic from SW Ohio. New to SR with a sobriety date of 11-2-05.
353 is shorthand for my program. It's a number I picture in my mind when things seem to get overwhelming. I say seem because that's nearly always what the problem is, my mind likes to "seem". My eyes see the world and my mind likes to think I'm the center of the universe and everything in my world, including the actions of others, are somehow my responsibility.
3 is the 3rd step ....I made a decision to turn my will and my life over to the care of God, as I understand Him.
53 is a reference to the most important paragraph in the BB for me..."When we became alcoholics, crushed by a self-imposed crisis we could not postpone or evade, we had to fearlessly face the proposition that either God is everything or else He is nothing. God either is, or He isn't. What was our choice to be?"
If I could choose God and stay there I would be fine but my ego has trouble with such a simple concept. 353 is an ego check for me. 353 reminds me that I have decided God is everything and leads to the question, the most important question. Where is God? If God is everything He must be here, in this other person or in this situation, somewhere.
God can't just be the things I like or the things that please me, God is everything, even things I don't like.
About 3 months into sobriety I began writing down my thoughts in verse and two years later I'm on the verge of releasing a CD of what I call my God Songs. This project has been a huge part of my spiritual program. If you want to hear these songs.... myspace.com/christian353
God's Peace