immunity

 

"Practical experience shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking as intensive work with other  alcoholics.  It works when other activities fail." -- Alcoholics Anonymous (AA's Big Book) pg. 89

 

It is the cosmic punchline:

I sponsor not to save others, but to save myself.  Thus, every single experience I've had with a sponsee -- whether they drank or recovered -- has been a success; because I've stayed sober.

I started sponsoring people because it was what I was told I needed to do.

Then I did it because I wanted to look good.

And then I did it because I believed in what I was doing, and I started to care.

And so the spoiled, terrified, self-centered, drunken boy who stumbled into AA thawed, grew up, and discovered first hand what many wise people from hundreds of cultures over thousands of years already knew:  Selfless service, with as little ego involved as is humanly possible, is the most potent and miraculously transformative agent in the Universe.

 

Comments

[Dave]

I'm smiling at that picture.
It may be a reluctant sponsee looking down on his sponsor. LOL

[Shugrr]

I learn more about myself each time I talk with a sponsee...I believe in that imunity, it's kept me sober more than once. Thank my Higher Power for the opportunity to grow daily. Have a good weekend Mr SP.

[TAAAF]

Work with others has been my salvation.

[lmh]

Sober nearly 9 years and still not a fan of being a sponsor. I have spent hundreds of hours with sponsees and feel good about the work we've done and what we both have learned as a result of working together, but I do not feel the same way I hear others do in the AA community. Today, I am honoring that instead of feeling guilty about it and not taking on any new sponsees. I provide service in many other ways, and I still reach out a hand to newcomers, just not sponsorship at this time.

Judge that if you will, have an opinion if you will, but it is my truth.

["Luna"]

"with a little ego involved as humanly possible.." That was (can be) a tough one for me. Thank God I have a sponsor to call me on my shit (ego) every single time.
It does keep me sober, not just dry.