Strength In Numbers - We Are Not Alone

June 18. Well Friday is coming to an end & the weekend is upon us. I will be working as always at my store both days, but that is a comprimise of balance that I chose to have in my life today. I find it a necessary anchor & a purposeful function in my spiritual, social, and sober life today. All the valuable lessons I learn during these times that are about everyday life, economics, and other fields of thinking are irreplacable. Things I fell far behind the 8 ball on during my active alcoholism & addiction. I had dinner as always with mom & dad, it was a good time that I had to cut short due to sudden responsibility of having to chair my homegroup meeting. That actually felt good to be purposeful & useful to cover for another person in their time of need. Speaking of time of need, while opening the meeting, another man's time of need became more evident than anyone else's at the moment. He shared with me over a cigarette about how his father is near death in the hospital & he is hurting very badly over it. Badly enough that I could see the water in his eyes & the quiver of his lips. Mind you this man is a tough looking guy, strewn with tatoo's & shaved head. Men like this, society labels often, do not feel pain like this.

The reason most assume this is because of their public presentation, but in fact we all feel, and when we don't its because we are treating these conditions with drugs or alcohol, or some other mechanism of escape & numbness. It shows a true sign of progress, not only to acknowledge these pains, but to share them with someone else. I had suggested that he share with the entire meeting group his struggles & pain, he had said he wasn't sure if he could do that. In fact though he did & we all were so glad that was his choice. See there is a power greater than ourselves in sharing our feelings with others. The same relief & strength he got from sharing it with me is multiplied over the numbers in the group. We in turn use strength in numbers to conquer our fears & problems. By making our woe's known, we make them have less power over us & the group empowers us more. That is how we overcome our worst enemies & even ourselves at times, despite our alcoholic ways of old.

Strength in numbers. That is a key that has been proven true & mysterious about the 12 Step fellowships. Together many can achieve what one man alone could not do for himself. The power of many suddenly becomes one woman or man's own power over their own weakness. Where we would normally fail ourselves & take a drink or drug out of pain, fear, sorrow, or guilt.. we instead rise above to fight for ourselves & our sober/spiritual lives for one more day. If that is all we can accomplish then we take our problem to the group again tomorrow. It is only for today that we must remain on the ball and out of the reach of a drink, tomorrow is none of our concern. The group is just as special a part of this process as the individual who has the problem. It is the combined hope, strength, and experience of all that come together to solve EACH individual's struggles with drugs, alcohol, and life's challenges themselves. So when we think we are big enough to take care of everything ourselves, let us remember, we are not alone. Here's to the strength in numbers. Good Morning.. Good Night.. <3 Jimmy