Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Thursday, 4/2/09 - "YOU ARE NOT ALONE"

"YOU ARE NOT ALONE"

There is a sign over the door as you walk into the 24 hour AA club in our town. It reads:

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

What a comfort, what a miracle,
what hope, what a wonderful thing.


When I first walked through the doors of that AA club, I was totally and completely alone, lost in the hopelessness of a disease I did not know I had and did not understand in any way.
I was so alone and so lost that I did not even see that sign hanging above my head. Well, my head was cast down and all I was able to see was my feet, the floor, the dirt on that floor. (I felt like that dirt I saw.) That was my life at that moment.

Very soon, however, I came to know that I was truly not alone. At my very first meeting, I identified myself as a newcomer, and the women in that women's meeting spoke to me. (I understood nothing they said, but I felt the caring or I would never have come back.) They also gave me phone numbers.


From that very first meeting I was not alone although it was a while before I understood this and was able to tentatively reach out for help to those women who reached out immediately to me. A few months later I asked a woman I met at that first meeting to help me stop drinking. She did, it worked, and she became my first sponsor.


As the years have passed, my sense of never being alone has grown stronger and stronger. I have discovered the deep spiritual connections that exist between myself and the sponsors I have had, much later between myself and those I sponsor, and with many friends in recovery.

I feel "at home" no matter what meeting I attend.
I have walked completely alone into meetings in strange cities where I knew no one at all and in every case have found the same welcome I experienced when I walked into that first meeting. I am truly never alone.

Not only am I never alone, but the people I find also understand me. That adds a dimension to my relationships with other recovering people that is as necessary as breathing for me. I need people who speak the same language - the "Language of the Heart" - the language of recovery.


Thank God for Alcoholics Anonymous and my never having to be alone again - ever - anymore.


Prayer Girl

7 comments:

steveroni said...

LOVE the angel picture--but you know how I am about angels...ask Flex! And I look upon everyone who has ever helped me as an angel--read--a messenger from God. Also those who are helping mw now.

And with all those angels in the rooms of AA, I shall never be alone. Of course, I gotta GO there!
Love

Sharon said...

I wish my hubby were at this comfort level of not feeling alone. He still carries anger & resentment, all his feelings inside. I do not always understand, but I am learning, thank you!

Shadow said...

oh, knowing i'm not alone, is a saving grace!

Wait. What? said...

You are so right there is such comfort in knowing in feeling, not alone. Loved unconditionally.

Syd said...

I've heard that I can be lonely but not alone, due to my HP and the program and it's members. Great post. Thanks for sharing this about not being alone.

Hope said...

What a beautiful photo.
What a beautiful post.
What a beautiful woman you are.
Hugs to you across the miles today.

Anonymous said...

How appropo for me One Prayer Girl. I have become a blogger for thesecondroad.org I have also just become a member of Angels Anonymous. I'm sitting here waiting for the founder to come back on line because she needs a friend right now. Loved your post. Look forward to getting to know you.