by Myers Raymer, Alumni Support, Origins South Padre
Howdy y’all and greetings from Texas! I’m so tired of sweating. Come on Fall!
It’s a little embarrassing to admit that there are things in Recovery Land that I’ve taken for granted over the years. I just showed up and things were already set up and running. Coffee made, literature written, and a Program of Action that was already figured out. Sweet! It never really occurred to me to even care about the past. I think most of us go through this sort of period in our recovery. Fortunately for me, it didn’t take long to see that there were lots and lots of sacrifices made so that we could have what we have today.
The other day Kacy and I were talking about the upcoming alumni weekends and the theme of “Courage to Change,” and it got me thinking, “What does courage have to do with any of this?” Well, turns out, A LOT!
Because you know I’m a bit of a history nerd, I automatically started to think about how much courage it took for Bill and Dr. Bob to start their newfound Fellowship. Glued together by nothing more than a common problem and a loosely formed set of guiding principles, they kept at it in a unified direction and, in spite of setbacks, they slowly gathered up other men and women. Each of these folks would stand at a common turning point, asking the same question: “Is there a reason to keep building this group? Is it worth it?”
They would soon approach Dr. Silkworth and Dr. Carl Jung, both professionals with careers and reputations to protect. Both had their own misgivings about being associated with this small crew of drunks. There was a lot to lose in those uncertain times during the Depression and it obviously would have been easier to just take the gentler road and avoid the risks.
However, in each case, these men exhibited great humility and COURAGE and did what they could to help. (I can just see Dr. Silkworth’s face when Bill called and asked him to contribute to the new book.)
These men had everything to lose and nothing to gain by helping us, but in both cases, they took the high road and helped us because it was the RIGHT THING to do. Where would millions of us be if these folks had not courageously faced the task before them?
So, remembering this, it has gotten easier for me to do the things that make me feel uncomfortable, like talking to that new guy or setting a standard for what I share in meetings. Doing the right thing takes courage this ol’ country boy doesn’t always have, but the payoff is often the chance to alter the course of an addiction and, in some cases, save a life. Pretty cool!
Now send some cold weather!
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