A big part of my sobriety has been the ability to be in a position of listening to others stories. I had that privilege over and over, on this journey. Developing others trust happens when we learn to have the integrity, humility, humanity and decency, to listen to them share very personal emotions, and be honest and receptive to the situation. If I listen and have the empathy, and understanding needed, what happens for me is, that I receive the blessing of truth, truth that is reflected in my heart, by the emotions that I experienced with them, as they tell me their stories. These moments are the gifts of the 1st, 7th and 12th steps, of the spiritual process, based in the spiritual principals our program. There was no way I ever thought that this, would be what sobriety would bring. No matter how many times we share that with a new comer; there are not enough adjectives to describe the amazement, which comes from this experience. For a dishonest addict/alcoholic like myself, to build the trust of people that comes from an UN-trusting place as ourselves, is truly the work of something much Greater than myself, thank those who trust me, those I trusted, and the Power for teaching me enough humility to earn the courage and trust.
Peace Out: M copyright 2014

We always hear around the rooms how grateful we are to be sober, and that is a very genuine reality for us as a group. However gratitude for me does not always jump from one day to the next. It seems to have its own illusive way of slipping from conscious thought, it to a stew of fear, anger, mistrust, and self-pity, I don’t have to do anything to have those precious thoughts, all I have to is just wake up. Then as I allow them to permeate in my mind, I start to blame it on everything except me. My first sponsor told me point blank, to “stay in the solution not the problem”, so when those moments that I live in the problem of me, I have to start working towards solutions to gain perspective, and remember how blessed I am. There are so many blessings that I could tap into if I try, but I must do what I have been taught to do in those moments of ungratefulness, I must work step 11, and pray and meditate and seek the gratitude that I have allowed myself to forget. I know from my experience that as soon I start the process of the 12th step which is the principle of service, the prayer for me to delivered from that moment of ungratefulness, is answered trough the unity of reaching out, carrying a message, helping those who need help, that ends up bring me to another day of, being sober, safe, and loved, for it is the process to jump back into GRATITUDE, for another day.
Peace Out: M copyright 2014