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November 2009 
Restarting MY Day
Posted on Nov 16th, 2008
by 
TextMage
TextMage
A coupla weeks ago, I promised MY sponsee that I would go to Bill Wilson's house in East Podunk. At the time of my promise, I was excited to go and happy that I was supporting MY sponsee's madcap plan: Maybe it'll keep him sober.
What do I know?
This morning though, when the alarm went off, I did not want to go, and I was very grumpy, about my agreement; I can be any one of the Seven Dwarfs at any moment. But Grumpy, Doc, and Dopey are MY specialties.
Despite a continuing argument with myself, I got my ass out of bed and into the shower. I drove twenty miles to the meet up, all the while reminding myself that I ought to have stood in bed and that I had a million, count 'em, a million things to do, beginning with cleaning the last of the summer stuff out of the garage, so we can park the slow-starting car inside during the winter.
I wasn't in the foulest of moods when I got to where WE were loading the cars for the 2 and 1/2 hour drive to Vermont, but I wasn't my normal happy self either. Nine of MY friends were there though, and MY sponsee was walking on air, having organized the whole shindig on his own and I quickly began to feel better. A lot better.
WE took a non-smoking van and a smoking car and we headed off for OUR three-hour tour. In the van, I read in between the several hundred stops for gas, coffee and donuts, while MY seat-mates slept, or argued about the GPS. Most of US have known each othr for a while and we get along, so the ride was FUN.
Finally, WE got to Bill Wilson's house in East Dorset, but the smoking car had gone to Bill's gravesite first. When WE finally caught up with THEM, WE all sort of milled around Bill's grave, and loudly celebrated being out of the cars. Did I mention that ALL of this, the meet-up, the 1627 stops, and the milling around Bill's grave, had been taking place in the middle of an icy rain? It's usually cold and wet in November in Vermont, or anywhere up here for that matter.
Some of US were standing around smoking, and others putting NA keychains into the bowl-full of AA medallions and coins already on the grave, and asking each other, "Are WE allowed to put NA coins on Bill's grave?" Then one of OUR number said that he wanted to burn a small piece of paper containing the chemical symbol for Dextromethorphan. ALL the horseplay died out immediately and WE formed a circle around the grave. WE all stood quietly while OUR friend burned his small piece of paper. Then, as WE stood hugging in the freezing rain, another fella said a prayer of thanks and intreaty, which was very brief, but seemed to go on for several days; as I do not pray, but only stand quietly while Others pray, the prayer probably seemed longer than it was, even though it was quite moving.
To be continued . . .
What do I know?
This morning though, when the alarm went off, I did not want to go, and I was very grumpy, about my agreement; I can be any one of the Seven Dwarfs at any moment. But Grumpy, Doc, and Dopey are MY specialties.
Despite a continuing argument with myself, I got my ass out of bed and into the shower. I drove twenty miles to the meet up, all the while reminding myself that I ought to have stood in bed and that I had a million, count 'em, a million things to do, beginning with cleaning the last of the summer stuff out of the garage, so we can park the slow-starting car inside during the winter.
I wasn't in the foulest of moods when I got to where WE were loading the cars for the 2 and 1/2 hour drive to Vermont, but I wasn't my normal happy self either. Nine of MY friends were there though, and MY sponsee was walking on air, having organized the whole shindig on his own and I quickly began to feel better. A lot better.
WE took a non-smoking van and a smoking car and we headed off for OUR three-hour tour. In the van, I read in between the several hundred stops for gas, coffee and donuts, while MY seat-mates slept, or argued about the GPS. Most of US have known each othr for a while and we get along, so the ride was FUN.
Finally, WE got to Bill Wilson's house in East Dorset, but the smoking car had gone to Bill's gravesite first. When WE finally caught up with THEM, WE all sort of milled around Bill's grave, and loudly celebrated being out of the cars. Did I mention that ALL of this, the meet-up, the 1627 stops, and the milling around Bill's grave, had been taking place in the middle of an icy rain? It's usually cold and wet in November in Vermont, or anywhere up here for that matter.
Some of US were standing around smoking, and others putting NA keychains into the bowl-full of AA medallions and coins already on the grave, and asking each other, "Are WE allowed to put NA coins on Bill's grave?" Then one of OUR number said that he wanted to burn a small piece of paper containing the chemical symbol for Dextromethorphan. ALL the horseplay died out immediately and WE formed a circle around the grave. WE all stood quietly while OUR friend burned his small piece of paper. Then, as WE stood hugging in the freezing rain, another fella said a prayer of thanks and intreaty, which was very brief, but seemed to go on for several days; as I do not pray, but only stand quietly while Others pray, the prayer probably seemed longer than it was, even though it was quite moving.
To be continued . . .
Access: Public
[lump in throat] - those crazy drunks started quite a legacy - that has rippled in a lot of directions. I had the joy and honor of being part of the Recovery Forum on Compuserve for several years - affectionately known as Soberspace even by those of us in programs other than NA or AA.
[praying with all of you]
gentle blessings -
Sylvia
What a great ride! We're all in this together.
You're right once again, John!
“WE're all in this together, except those WE keep pushing out of the van, or throwing under the bus.”
Even yesterday, there was moments when I wanted to knock one, or two of THEM drunks on the noggin; there are times when a fella, or in this case, a person, sorely needs a good sharp rap to the beak.
Luckily, I am out of the knock-some-sense-into-a-knucklehead business, though I could almost see MY-Self giving one, or two of my caravan-mates a good shaking, but some times shaking leaves THEM even more brain-dead than THEY was starting out. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Hey, Sylvia,
SoberSpace sounds kool. I have to return to that blog post because I ain't even half way through that amazing day and what I have already written didn't even do justice to the part I described yet. I got some ideas though and I'm gonna get back there – even though my further writing may still not do the day any justice..
Love to you, MY Sister and the very warmest of GIANT HUGS. Kisses, RicHIe
Honor goes a long way.
beautiful… continue your journey.
The Wilson House holds a special place in my heart. Every time I make that long drive to “the middle of nowhere”, I park in front of the house and go straight to the open-hearth fireplace. I then read the serenity prayer in it's long form and within seconds, find myself crying tears of gratitude.
It sounds like you have a great group of travel buddies. Enjoy the journey, it get's better all the time.