Service work....
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 8,637
Service work....
This morning is my first foray into "formal" service work.
I'm going to go to the hospital to share my story and experience with the AA group in the detox / treatment center. It's a little exciting, a little scary. But feels like a gift and an opportunity.
Just over a week ago, a friend of mine reached out and called me "I'm drinking and I want to go to AA".
I told her I'd get her the next morning for the early bird. Was half sure I'd be knocking on a locked door. But she was there. Since that time she's been to probably a dozen meetings. Last night she txt me that she was having a tough time not drinking. We exchanged txts for a while and this am she returned a 0630 text that she had made it to a meeting last night and was going this morning.
I feel grateful I was able to help a friend ride out a craving and not fall back into the hole.
I'm a little bit scared of the responsibility. A little bit scared of losing focus on my own recovery by focusing on 'helping others' (something I've seen happen for other people). But mostly, I am excited and grateful for the opportunity and I have a growing sense that by giving some of myself to service with others struggling, I will grow in new and unexpected ways and will deepen my own sobriety.
I'm going to go to the hospital to share my story and experience with the AA group in the detox / treatment center. It's a little exciting, a little scary. But feels like a gift and an opportunity.
Just over a week ago, a friend of mine reached out and called me "I'm drinking and I want to go to AA".
I told her I'd get her the next morning for the early bird. Was half sure I'd be knocking on a locked door. But she was there. Since that time she's been to probably a dozen meetings. Last night she txt me that she was having a tough time not drinking. We exchanged txts for a while and this am she returned a 0630 text that she had made it to a meeting last night and was going this morning.
I feel grateful I was able to help a friend ride out a craving and not fall back into the hole.
I'm a little bit scared of the responsibility. A little bit scared of losing focus on my own recovery by focusing on 'helping others' (something I've seen happen for other people). But mostly, I am excited and grateful for the opportunity and I have a growing sense that by giving some of myself to service with others struggling, I will grow in new and unexpected ways and will deepen my own sobriety.
Trudgin
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 6,348
That is Awesome!!
I hear from others that a spiritual growth spurt occurs every time they share and a great feeling of washed cleaned again is pervasive.
What a privilege! God will be speaking through you, by grace......
Can't wait to hear about it!
peace
fly
I hear from others that a spiritual growth spurt occurs every time they share and a great feeling of washed cleaned again is pervasive.
What a privilege! God will be speaking through you, by grace......
Can't wait to hear about it!
peace
fly
A Day at a Time
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Grand Rapids MI
Posts: 6,435
All we have is our story. We can carry the message but not the alcoholic.
A wise person told me that for people who want to hear you can't say anything wrong and for those who don't you can't say anything right
A wise person told me that for people who want to hear you can't say anything wrong and for those who don't you can't say anything right
Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: C.C. Ma.
Posts: 3,697
Originally Posted by FreeOwl 
I'm a little bit scared of the responsibility. A little bit scared of losing focus on my own recovery by focusing on 'helping others' (something I've seen happen for other people). But mostly, I am excited and grateful for the opportunity and I have a growing sense that by giving some of myself to service with others struggling, I will grow in new and unexpected ways and will deepen my own sobriety.
Hi.
My group had a standing commitment at a local detox and it was a very refreshing experience.
All we did was tell our own experience strength and hopes. KISS. It was a good feeling when someone came up to me and said “I needed to hear what you said.” Both sexes but never said what it was so that I might include it next time.
ENJOY.
BE WELL
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 8,637
well it was really cool. there were 5 people from the unit, one from my AA home group and three student nurses.
I shared my own story. Pieces of it anyway. It seemed to resonate with the people there, who ranged from their early 20's to a guy in his sixties.
It was a really comfortable, positive, good experience and I felt gratitude for being there and I felt gratitude for my presence. They all shook my hand and said thanks for coming. Where there had been exhaustion and weariness in the faces in the room, now there were warm smiles.
I will definitely do it again.
And recommend it strongly as a way of deepening sobriety.
I shared my own story. Pieces of it anyway. It seemed to resonate with the people there, who ranged from their early 20's to a guy in his sixties.
It was a really comfortable, positive, good experience and I felt gratitude for being there and I felt gratitude for my presence. They all shook my hand and said thanks for coming. Where there had been exhaustion and weariness in the faces in the room, now there were warm smiles.
I will definitely do it again.
And recommend it strongly as a way of deepening sobriety.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 10,912
That is wonderful, FreeOwl. I know the anxiety regarding responsibility for others... I spent the first ~35 years of my life avoiding it driven, I think, highly by a fear of commitment and what if I fail at being responsible for things and people other than myself. And I am still often haunted by this fear. It's a learning process...
I have also never really been a helper kind of person, for similar reasons I think, before I had my current job over 4 years ago and experienced team work in it... and I was just vaguely aware of this sort of inspiration of mine before I got sober this year and started to really participate in the community here on SR. What did I learn/find? That making a difference (or attempting to) in the life of others is a much more powerful source of fulfillment and meaning in my life than I've known before... And I am very much at the beginning of this journey.
Good luck with yours
I have also never really been a helper kind of person, for similar reasons I think, before I had my current job over 4 years ago and experienced team work in it... and I was just vaguely aware of this sort of inspiration of mine before I got sober this year and started to really participate in the community here on SR. What did I learn/find? That making a difference (or attempting to) in the life of others is a much more powerful source of fulfillment and meaning in my life than I've known before... And I am very much at the beginning of this journey.
Good luck with yours
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 8,637
...when I was at the hospital, some of the patient-participants in the meeting were talking about another girl on the ward who wasn't going to make it to the meeting because she was detoxing pretty hard.
This morning, I learned it was a good friend of mine who last week was admitted due to her state of mind and drunkenness.
Gonna try to see her today.
This morning, I learned it was a good friend of mine who last week was admitted due to her state of mind and drunkenness.
Gonna try to see her today.
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