[bluidkiti]

March 25

This guest post was submitted by Jeff H:

Quote of the Week

"Nothing Changes, if Nothing changes"

Like most slogans or other things people repeated so terribly often when I first arrived into the rooms of A.A., I thought this was meaningless. I came in to the rooms in January 1999 and was certain I was not quite as bad as the rest of you. I bought and read the book, "working" the Steps as I went (well, those that seemed applicable). It was a breeze! I didn't need help from someone else reading the book, thank you very much. Sobriety didn't stick the first time and I attributed this to that pesky second half of Step One. I did not consider my life to be unmanageable. After all, I only came in because my wife had a problem with my drinking!

In July 1999, I began again with a renewed conviction that I was alcoholic AND my life was unmanageable. I still did not find it necessary to get a sponsor for quite a while, but I felt pressured by my fellows to get one, so finally I did. I did not, however, call him or inform him that I had not done the Steps with someone else. My life went on like before, with the exception that I was not drinking. I even took a few commitments here and there and was willing to do Twelve Step work. Strangely, no one approached me to be their sponsor!

Seven years passed and my life spiraled further down to new and more humiliating lows. Finally, I crashed without ever picking up a drink! I was brought to my knees and humbled like never before. It was right then that I became willing to go to any length to change. I got a sponsor, worked the Steps, got into service work, and joined the Fellowship. I soon learned there were only three things I must be; honest, open-minded, and willing. There are also only three things I must do; Unity (fellowship), Service (even beyond the fellowship), and Recovery (living the Steps on a daily basis). I had found the true meaning behind this valuable saying!