not sure where to post this
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Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: PA
Posts: 12,000
not sure where to post this
I could have added this to another thread, but I couldn't decide which one.
Soooooo... The topic of my meeting tonight was "sponsorship". I just sat and listened. Mostly I cringed (expressionless) at what people were saying. One guy actually made complete sense about sponsoring someone. I wish they all thought that way. I don't need to get into details about that.
After the meeting one of the seniors and I spoke. He asked me if I got a sponsor yet. He knew - I'm pretty sure - that I had a sponsor. I told him that a couple weeks ago I told xyz I didn't want him to sponsor me anymore, that I didn't want one. I told my sponsor that I had read over the first three steps in the 12&12 a few times today (then) and I could not get on board with it anymore. I'd be lying if I said I could continue.
The guy tonight asked if it was because of the 'spiritual thing'. I said no, I just can't embrace the whole idea of having to do these steps as they are written. He said, well he shouldn't be quoting scripture at the meetings anyway. I said, that is not it. I just don't get it. It is impossible for me to turn my will over to something else entirely and to think I am powerless.
Here is the most beautiful part of the conversation. He said, that's okay, whatever works for you is all that matters. As long as you are working on your sobriety however you do it doesn't matter. It is up to you. This, coming from a staunch AA supporter, I thought was pretty cool. I didn't get any fire and brimstone speech or anything like that. Just, whatever works for you keep doing it. Awesome!
I'm still going to continue going to meetings. And I understand the philosophy behind the 12 steps. I am also going to continue doing what works for me even though doing the steps (BB) is not part of it.
I spent about ten minutes talking to a new kid. It was his first meeting but he wasn't comfortable because he needs to find an NA meeting to be around 'his kind'. I went through the meeting list with him and directed him to meetings that were more up his alley. There are not a lot of NA meetings but I know some AA that are weighted with NA meeting types. And I directed him to a site where he could find a few NA meetings close by in another district - it's close because we're on a border. I try to do my part even if I don't do the steps myself. And I am still a welcomed member of AA.
So for those of you who don't want to attend AA because of whatever scares you away, just go and find out for yourself. There are a lot of understanding people there who are willing to help you no matter what you believe. I'm one of them. I search out the ones I can tell are uncomfortable and reach out to them. I'm sure I'm not alone.
Soooooo... The topic of my meeting tonight was "sponsorship". I just sat and listened. Mostly I cringed (expressionless) at what people were saying. One guy actually made complete sense about sponsoring someone. I wish they all thought that way. I don't need to get into details about that.
After the meeting one of the seniors and I spoke. He asked me if I got a sponsor yet. He knew - I'm pretty sure - that I had a sponsor. I told him that a couple weeks ago I told xyz I didn't want him to sponsor me anymore, that I didn't want one. I told my sponsor that I had read over the first three steps in the 12&12 a few times today (then) and I could not get on board with it anymore. I'd be lying if I said I could continue.
The guy tonight asked if it was because of the 'spiritual thing'. I said no, I just can't embrace the whole idea of having to do these steps as they are written. He said, well he shouldn't be quoting scripture at the meetings anyway. I said, that is not it. I just don't get it. It is impossible for me to turn my will over to something else entirely and to think I am powerless.
Here is the most beautiful part of the conversation. He said, that's okay, whatever works for you is all that matters. As long as you are working on your sobriety however you do it doesn't matter. It is up to you. This, coming from a staunch AA supporter, I thought was pretty cool. I didn't get any fire and brimstone speech or anything like that. Just, whatever works for you keep doing it. Awesome!
I'm still going to continue going to meetings. And I understand the philosophy behind the 12 steps. I am also going to continue doing what works for me even though doing the steps (BB) is not part of it.
I spent about ten minutes talking to a new kid. It was his first meeting but he wasn't comfortable because he needs to find an NA meeting to be around 'his kind'. I went through the meeting list with him and directed him to meetings that were more up his alley. There are not a lot of NA meetings but I know some AA that are weighted with NA meeting types. And I directed him to a site where he could find a few NA meetings close by in another district - it's close because we're on a border. I try to do my part even if I don't do the steps myself. And I am still a welcomed member of AA.
So for those of you who don't want to attend AA because of whatever scares you away, just go and find out for yourself. There are a lot of understanding people there who are willing to help you no matter what you believe. I'm one of them. I search out the ones I can tell are uncomfortable and reach out to them. I'm sure I'm not alone.
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 3,597
I think a lot of people quietly go to meetings, don't do the Steps or what have you and are just fine. AA is for people who have a spiritual malady. Maybe not everyone who has a drinking problem also has a spiritual malady. There are a lot of ways to reach the same goal.
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