Tools That Changed The Power Behind My Actions
I could not go on. I had to change. And one of the many promises of the 12-Step program is that I will change fundamentally, if I work the tools of the program.
The Tool of Service
I am convinced that the book Alcoholics Anonymous is correct when it says that “Selfishness—self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles.” Selfishness is a spiritual malady, a spiritual problem rooted deeply in my being. I consider or evaluate everything by how it affects me. My fears are self-centered. A lot can be written about selfishness. It is enough to say that it is what causes my problems.
The Daily Sobriety Renewal
Jim Egan played a big role in my early SA years. I loved his shares, which were always a loving, humble meander. I’m grateful to have learned from his shares to be loving and humble myself. Always with a smile on his face, he also helped me feel comfortable at the SA International Conventions I attended.
Experiencing Growth in Hard Times
I am an SA member and have been for some time a reserve soldier in one of the many warring countries on this planet. Often I get woken up by alarms. Sometimes I see rockets in the air. Friends of mine have been killed. Everything is scary and weird, surrealistic.
The True Share Is What You Have to Give Away
There is a saying that goes something like this, “Not by argument will you change a person’s mind but by telling them a good story.” How true this is when speaking of Dave T. when he shared his experience, strength, and hope.
Always Wearing My Program Helmet
In an AA article, I once read about a fellow who is in the military. He wrote that he is taught to always wear a helmet, that it's a habit ingrained in him. Going outside means putting on a helmet, period. In the beginning, it was something he had to learn, something people had to keep reminding him to do, and something that had to become a real habit. But eventually, he did it without thinking.
From Deepest Pain to Greatest Blessing
Three years ago I was in pain. It was the pain of slavery to lust which was causing me deep trouble and threatening to ruin my entire life. The pain brought me into the SA fellowship. Thanks to the SA fellowship, and to my sponsor and through working the SA program, my deep trouble gradually turned into a blessing—into a life that is clean and sober. Sanity returned and I found a true connection with God. I don’t think I would ever have sought God so actively but for the pain and the brokenness that lust had caused me. This amazed me. What had seemed to me my worst misfortune turned out to be my greatest blessing. Isn’t that a miracle?
The Tool of Absolute Honesty
Today while traveling back to my home, my scheduled flight was delayed and there was a high probability I would miss my connecting flight. As I was checking in, I saw a flight leaving in 20 minutes and wondered if I could run to the gate and see if I could get on this earlier flight going to the same destination. As I checked my luggage in, the agent asked if I had any lithium batteries in my bag. I said, "No," as I wanted to make it to the service counter to see if I could jump on the earlier flight.
The Program Is My Parachute Today
When I was 18, I went on a parachute course with a few friends. I was looking for a new adventure and an experience that I could feel proud about. After one day’s instruction on the theory, we were given the go-ahead to make our jump. We would be using the “static-line” technique for our jump. Here, a cord runs from the parachute to a rail fixed on the inside of the plane. When you jump, the cord pays out, then pulls out your parachute; you don’t have to do anything.
The Only Answer Is Doing the Right Thing Myself
Recently, I had a spiritual awakening as I watched a well-made movie, based on true events, about a young lawyer who, 15 years after the second World War, decided to pursue the people responsible for Auschwitz. A lot of these people, after the war, had taken all kinds of ordinary jobs: primary school teachers, woodcutters, bakers, businessmen, dentists, etc.
