Ann Marie R. – Al Anon Speaker – Detaching with Love and Living Life!
I want to welcome you and say that today is the first day of the rest of your life that you never ever have to do anything alone or by yourself. That was a gift too when I heard that when I came into these rooms. I never ever had to do anything by myself again. I want to thank you for that. It is the long timers in these rooms that have led the path and led the way. They have allowed me to walk behind them or beside them, because they have clear the branches and have I can walk in their footsteps. So if you’ve got a long timer that’s in your meeting, thank them, because that meeting is probably still there because of them and they get to pass the torch. That’s a big responsibility. If you’re a sponsor, wonderful, because a sponsor is that person who is willing is willing to walk the steps with you. When we willingly surrender to the spiritual discipline of this program, we are transformed and we don’t do it by ourselves.
Anyways, I kept going to that meeting and this woman came in. Her name was Edith and she was very tall and she was very strong, yet there was this wonderful calmness to her because when she talked about the disease and her ex-husband how it was all around her, I was just astounded by her sense of peace and calm and tranquility. So I asked this woman to be my sponsor and she said, “I will walk beside you, and when you fall down, I want you to reach up to God. I want you to hold the hand of God. She also said, “I want you to come to meetings and I want you to read the literature.” So we started working the program, and we started working the steps one step at a time.
She explained the first three steps are giving up steps. I’m told that I’m not alone that I have a higher power; that’s my relationship and I love that. I love that I have a relationship with my Higher Power of my understanding, and you do too. No one can touch that relationship. I get to walk the steps and when I’m having a hard time I get to hold on to the hand rail, and the hand rail or the slogans help. “Easy does it. First things first.” So when I’m having a hard time stepping up those steps, I hold on to them. Little by little I started working the steps and I remember going to the shore and walking after I wrote my fourth step. I remember ripping it up and giving it to God. It was a wonderful journey .
Odomtology’s note: This is such a great story and highlights the importance of sponsorship. It is like trying to climb up a giant mountain, and you need a guide, someone to show you the ropes and point out the pitfalls that may arise. For many people in recovery, they look to their sponsors to provide wisdom and guidance when life throws them difficult situations.
This story is a great example of this relationship and highlights the benefits of having a sponsor. While each person sponsors differently, and has their own style, for the newcomer to know they are not alone and have someone to walk with them in their journey is something that cannot be undervalued. So to all the sponsors out there, and those who sponsor in the future, thank you. Without your contributions, the recovery community would not be nearly as strong and vibrant as it is today.
