Middle of the road

I went to 2 meetings tonight. I'm on the road traveling. I was horrified once again. I listened to the chair person at one meeting talk about being sober for 8 years and never getting past Step 6. I watched her volunteer to sponsor a newcomer. At the next meeting I watched an alcoholic, probably dying, say he would do anything to stay sober and so everyone gave their damn war stories and just left after the meeting. I gave him a book and talked to him for a little while. If I had landed in either one of these meetings a year ago I would have died.

I'm not slamming these people, they just looked and sounded tired. They are just wore out. I can see why, fighting this stupid disease day after day without working the Steps without being connected to God, is exhausting I'm sure. Thank God for real AA where it exists. Thank God for my sponsor, my home group, and the real message of AA. One thing about it, you can't sit in a meeting in our group and puke on the table without being called on it. Well usually.

Middle of the road AA sucks. I made some people mad again, but that is ok. They look at me with my 1 year of sobriety and just laugh when I say I have recovered from a hopeless state of mind and body. Sober pride is running rampant in our fellowship. People that probably are not real alcoholics are "sponsoring" and very likely killing people with this disease.

In my travels I have noticed some correlations, the less Big Books you see, the more sour the look on the old timers faces. The less active sponsorship is going on. The clothes are dirtier, the shoes are duller, the rooms are filthier, the coffee is more expensive, and visitors are less welcome. And the Big Book thumpers have long since packed up and moved on.

I am not suggesting avoiding these places, I am suggesting walking in the door with a Big Book, taking the heat, and speaking the Truth, we can change all of this, one recovered alcoholic at a time. Trust me if you are working this program, and connected to God you will be the most attractive person in the room.

Join us on the firing line. We have recovered and been given the Power to help others, God please give us the courage to use it.