An Inconvenient Disease

Yesterday a man who has been trying for 2 decades to get sober asked me to be his sponsor. Initially, I was both surprised and humbled. Surprised, because I have less than 4 years of sobriety and exposure to AA. Why would he ask me to help him?
I was humbled for the same reason.

When I mentioned this to him, he said, "But you are successful at this thing. It's the one thing in my life I have not been able to do."

So I told him that of course I would work with him on the 12 steps that Bill W. and others formulated many years ago. (I also mentioned that I would NOT be his taxi driver, banker or marriage counsellor. In his case, it was not really necessary, but this is a formality that I tell anyone. He drives a new Jaguar, makes gobs of money as an attorney and is single.)


I think for someone like this, there is nothing I can tell him that he hasn't heard before. I will try to help him find a Higher Power that works for him. Some power greater than himself that will provide a defense against taking that first drink. I also know this: if he's not willing to follow the path laid out before him, he will not stay sober. But he's already proved that, eh?

todAAy i AAm grAAteful & thAAnkful

that I begin work with another alcoholic today, one-on-one.

that I can enjoy my own company and entertain myself without drinking!

that I can call the ones who I trust when I need to vent and they will listen before hanging up on me

that the preliminary results from my physical exam are very good; there's still more tests to complete

for early morning phone calls from Hayden, who is now in England

that I don't always buy into all the hype, media or otherwise

that our Miss Lambda 2007 Talent Show comes up this Saturday night --
I will be taking photos for all you curious bloggers who can't be there

"When I hear somebody sigh, "Life is hard," I am always tempted to ask, "Compared to what?"
-- Sydney J. Harris