Spoke at my own birthday this past month. Spoke for forty eight minutes. Know so, the group recorded it(tape minutes). Coincidence,one minute for each of my years of sobriety. Had notes to keep me from wandering, repeating myself and to cover any of my brain farts.Identified for a few minutes , short version, then plunged right into the early days in the program. Never got out of the first five years. My growing up years. The years of developing a structure for the relationships with my Higher Power, with myself and with others.
The years of laying the foundation essential for my house of recovery. The formidable years with help from my HP and friends: meetings and 12 step calls; taking inventories and making amends; working my way through the legal, financial, relationship, employment, mental, spiritual, physical maze, and daily practice, practice, practice in living a life sober.
After the meeting I was approached by a newcomer who asked. "With all your years why did you keep returning time and again to the first five years?
Why? because they were the foundation years. The years of reconstruction, no scratch that, not "re" but new construction. They were the years of tearing down the old crumbling foundation and very carefully brick by brick laying a new foundation under the guidance of the Master Craftsman and the sponsor-ship of His hand picked journeymen.
I continue to hone the tools I was taught to use in the construction of that foundation. Some have been adapted to present technology I treasure them because they have served me in the best of times, in the worst of time and everything in between. They have weathered the test of time even when I have been at my weakest.
You all, present AAs included, have given me the gift-for-all-time and the realization that the gift will keep on giving if I assume the responsibility of daily doing my rounds of maintenance.
I wrote this and saved as draft last month. Not fresh, but I didn't find an expiration date on it.
Have a good one.
Jim
Hey, we all give a new life to one another. Congratulations on the anniversary. As someone once said, "Thanks heavens we're not all crazy...on the same day!" Have a good one!!
ReplyDeleteThe foundation. When I hear a speaker, that's when my ears most tune in. I'm still building my foundation and at times it feels as if it's going to crumble around me. I realize I am in the infancy of my recovery and it needs to be tended to; nurtured. Thank you for giving me what I need to hear.
ReplyDeletethe foundations are all important...
ReplyDelete