A Trusted Friend - More Than A Sponsor

October 15. Happy Friday everybody, for most of you it will be saturday when you read this so happy Saturday too. :) I wanted to share about my day because some great things happened & I also got some news about something I have been stressing over. First off I had a great dinner w/ mom & dad tonight, we went somewhere we hadn't been in many years & I enjoyed the food from start to finish. I went to my meeting at my homegroup too & it was a great group with a great topic as usual. I also got news about my friend April's viewing, which will be in the morning & will last two hours. I am going with a mutual friend, glad to be able to support him because he is really torn over the loss as we all are. That was the sad, but relieving news of the day. After the meeting something I could not have predicted happened. A young man who I happen to be friends with for many years has been coming around to many of the meetings I go to. He shared tonight about having wanted to drink, minutes before the meeting he sat down the road contemplating going to the bar or finishing his route to the meeting. Through the grace of his higher power he somehow made the right choice because he came to the meeting & shared about the experience. After a great discussion going through the group the meeting adjourned & we went to have a cigarette. We talked about taking things to the next step, as in doing more than just going to meetings. I learned in my own journey that in order for the compulsion to use & drink to be lifted, I had to do more than just go to meetings. Getting a sponsor & homegroup, reading, participating in service work, and a ton of other factors contributed to me finally being released from that prison of alcoholic bondage. A few words later in our talk & he was asking me to be his temporary Sponsor. I could do nothing but smile & agree to it.

On the surface it would seem like taking the role of this man's sponsor would be helpful to him only, as I would show him what has worked for me to grow spiritually & stay sober. But that is face value, it actually helps me just as much if not more. My own spiritual condition is contingent on how much I do for others & what I can offer another alcoholic from my own experiences. By helping this guy through his own troubles, and working with another alcoholic one on one, I ensure that my own compulsions to ever drink or drug again are at least minute. It's when we are outside ourselves & directly involved in the service of others that we are best protected against the first drink or dose. It may be by fate or by divine design but I believe that my higher power has put this old friend into my life & given him a desire to stop drinking & stay stopped. If he is willing to do whatever it takes, as I am, then it will make for a great friendship down the road. When it comes down to it, a sponsor is just a "Trusted Friend" that has the knowledge & experience that we need. It is also someone who is willing to admit when they do not know the answers to a problem, and directs their sponsee to someone who does or can help. I can only pray for the ability to guide this good person in need to the freedom I have so gratefully found through the help of others.

I had the young man come back to my house tonight, gave him some books with the text of the 12 Steps & a few helpful prayers I have & do use still today. What has worked for me was shown to me by my sponsor, and it is my attempt to show this man the same things I have been shown. Most importantly I must show him that I can be trusted, when that level of trust has been reached between us, I can only hope that the honesty & sincerity will pour out of him & spirituality to pour back in. I feel both honored & challenged tonight, with the duty of a fellowship more helpful to people than any I have ever heard of. To carry the message to another is the ultimate reward, and I am happy to carry both the burden & delight of it. More than ever I realize what the big picture is really all about, that is one spiritual being helping another, to be more of what we should be & less like the flawed humans we were before. May we all bath in the warm & loving light of the spirit. For now, Good Night. Good Morning.. <3 Jimmy