Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 25 - May 1

[Horsegirl]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 25 - May 1

Good Morning, All !!!

Great posts as usual this week.

Congrats to you, Kimberly for chairing. That is so hard for some of us, but for me that has helped so much for me to open up and share. DG thanks for sharing that reading. Sharing myself is still so hard, but I feel I am gaining that willingness to give what I have and what I am now. Opening up and sharing has helped me grow so much and has enabled me to learn to be honest with others and with myself.

Thanks, also, for everyone's sharing on relapse. I really need to be reminded that just because the obsession to drink has been gracefully lifted from me at this time doesn't mean it is gone forever. I know if I don't do my sobriety work daily, I risk losing that. I'm not willing to take that risk. Sobriety is too wonderful to lose.

Thanks again, everyone and have a super day!!!!!

HG

[Kimberley]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 25 - May 1

Thanks for all your kind words - I really feel like I have become part of AA both in London and here on MWO, which is so lovely. I love reading all your news, thoughts and progress too.

K x

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 25 - May 1

Today I invited my sponsor over for a cup of tea & something sweet to eat. We had a long chat about program issues. She's quite adament about her committment to service & has decided to volunteer in different ways than she has in the past...institution meetings, district-level service, etc. She's a 26 year AA member & is an inspiration in her faithfulness to service. I asked her if she felt I was doing enough, & she felt I was.

[catch22]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 25 - May 1

Hi everyone ! x

Hi everyone! Catch, what is Taliban AA???
DG,,,,They are people in AA that will come up to you and say let me sponsor you, the right way and take you through the program they my only have a few weeks sobriety or the long termers will sponsor you and try and bribe you and tell you what meetings you and the ones you should not go to and there way, is the right way...

Thought i make a trip to the library today, its good to read all your posts.
Kimberley, well done on your First chair i love it when people share back. I remember my first chair and i felt really good that night but the next morning i felt very exposed and vulverable had to ring my sponsor up, to see if the way, i was feeling is right, she resured me that it ok to feel like the way i did and there was only one person i heard that i had felt the same way at my saturday meetings.
Also i did a chair on a monday night everyone said how well i done and shared back the think is i didn't feel right in myself reason WHY : is because i talked about my past childhood and it made me feel so depressed that night and the next day i could not understand it. when to a meeting last night and my sponsor was there she said i heard you did a brilliant chair, i told her how i felt and i wish i talked more about my recovery in AA and the program, she did say in time you will learn that just to touch basic on your past childhood, but what was meant to come out that night was meant to be said...
Plus this woman shared back and she doesn't not share at all and said that i was the first person to share about my hallucinations how my hallucinations was always the things i feared mostof, SPIDERS all over my bed, and when ever i was really bad it would be fireworks going of in my room and i knew i would be in for a long night having palpitations and cant get to sleep.
I also got through a hurtle a few weeks ago in work, i really had a urge to pick up it felt so strong the inpluse of it ( it was going on for about 4days), am glad my teamleader called me aside and we had a chated and i got honest with my anger how i felt. See the thing is with me if i dont acknowledge this feeling within me it turns inwards and makes me phyically ill or depressed and i start hating myself. By me expressing my problem and anger honestly and repectfully it made me feel so good inside, she even said she was sorry.

Glad to see everyone is doing alrite!

Take care all and God bless you all x:h

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 25 - May 1

catch: Getting honest has been a huge challenge for me since joining AA. I've always been the kind of person who:
-holds back what I need to say.
-says what I think people want to hear.
-embroiders the truth in order to avoid a confrontation.
-flies under the radar.
-etc.

Consequently, I was all stuffed full of poison & put poison (liquor) into myself in order not to feel. Now, I'm trying to resolve issues as they come up. It's difficult. I'm not accustomed to working through issues openly. I'd rather just let them go, but I know that's a trigger for me.

Mary

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 25 - May 1

Last night's meeting was quite powerful. One of the members was going through some serious cravings. He had managed to resist but was pretty miserable. I think he felt better afterwards, but stinkin' thinkin' had gotten him in its grip. What a horrendous disease! Mary

[Doggygirl]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 25 - May 1

Catch, thank you for clarifying Taliban AA. :H One of the things I am learning to accept and respect is that within the structure of the AA program, there are many different approaches. And they all can work. Some people have a certain style of sponsoring, and we all need different things (at different times I think) in how we are sponsored. Some do better with a very strict approach (whether they "like" it or not) and others with a kinder, gentler approach. I try to also stay very aware of the fact that what makes me uncomfortable is often something I need. Growth opportunities have been abundant for me in people and situations that I most definitely did not like at first.

Some of you may remember posts when I was really having trouble with my first sponsor. I'm glad I didn't let that situation turn me away from AA. She did the best she could, and I truly was resisting guideance. Because of the tools I have learned in the program, I have grown from this experience. Her and I kept distance for awhile, then became civilized, and now I would say we are becoming friends. This all has more to do with humility and needed progression on my part than hers.

Anyway...I try to view "Taliban AA" (which tends to bother me!!!) through the glasses of belief that people are doing their best to help others, even if I don't personally like the style.

(wow - didn't see THAT sandwich post coming!!!) :H

retteacher;1105611 wrote: Today I invited my sponsor over for a cup of tea & something sweet to eat. We had a long chat about program issues. She's quite adament about her committment to service & has decided to volunteer in different ways than she has in the past...institution meetings, district-level service, etc. She's a 26 year AA member & is an inspiration in her faithfulness to service. I asked her if she felt I was doing enough, & she felt I was.

I really didn't "get" the idea of service work and why it's important when I first went to AA. I just thought it was about egotistical do-gooding. I see that a whole lot differently now too. I like that your sponsor is challenging herself to continue growing in service, and giving you feedback about yours.

Love you all!!

DG

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Apr. 25 - May 1

Any & everything I read by/about Bill W & AA stresses service. It's how we stay sober. I volunteered to chair a meeting on Sun. & an emergency came up preventing me from going. I had all kinds of offers to take the meeting in my stead. It's heartwarming! Mary

PS: My sponsor truly is special in the amount of service she does...driving folks to meetings, being available for calls, leading meetings, bringing goodies to meetings, etc. It's how she stays committed to AA.