I'm so grateful I don't have to graduate

[idgiehkt]

Thank God. I *get* to keep applying the steps and working on myself. I had a friend in one of the other A programs and she said that something that disappointed her about another kind of help group that she paid to go to is once she reached her goal they kicked her out. Not literally, but it was clear she was done. And she liked having the emotional support. I'm grateful for the 12 steps and that this program asks me to keep looking at myself and making amends when I have harmed others (and it also gave me the strength to hold my head high and not buckle under to juvenile behavior when I have been wronged). No other kind of 'help' I've tried ever asked me to do that, including counseling. It is a privilege for me to be involved in a group of recovering people who turn the mirror back on me. It's a privilege to get to carry the message when so many I've known didn't make it and have now passed on. I didn't understand all this when I walked into the program in my early twenties but I can testify now that having been around the block with human behavior at almost 40 years old THANK GOD I am one of the lucky ones that got exposed to the twelve steps. THANK GOD.

[Kajsa]

1. Great post, Idg.

Those are my sentiments, too.

I don't want to graduate because for me,
it would imply that I knew everything there is to
know about staying clean and sober.

I don't.
The fact that I remain teachable is what is keeping
me sober, today.

:hi:

[idgiehkt]

2. There is something Bob E. said in a talk once

that is the reaction I've had in here a lot lately to what I've been reading. I don't even remember what the topic was but he said "Are you f*cking keen?"...

I can't believe people are on a crusade to save me from the org. that taught me how to make amends, how to evaluate my own behavior, to admit when I am wrong and to strive to do better, that put me in contact with people who will call me on things so I don't have to live in denial, which is the quickest path back into active addicton. And I never have to leave, I can continue to live this way for my entire life as long as I don't drink or use; there is no where else like that; alot of these other places once the dough from the insurance hits the limit you are out the door. I grew up with denial, I had to learn not to see certain things. So it is second nature for me to slip into that 'not-seeing' frame of mind with regards to me and others. There's nowhere else I've been that knocks me out of that like 12 step groups.

Even if I don't remain teachable, I 'get taught' lol, and as long as I don't drink over it I'm able to learn and apply that knowledge.

:hi:

[KitchenWitch]

3. Me too!

I am also grateful that my particular 12 step program has meetings just about anywhere I would ever want or need them.

It has been really valuable to me during this transition to a new region of the country to have groups that I can go to, for fellowship.

[SPKrazy]

4. Lifetime Scholars

and we don't have to research either unless we choose to.

We can let others do the research for us because we've rightfully done as much research as we need to if we say we have.

We just have to live one day at a time without using, drinking, or whatevering, work the steps, go to meetings, read, talk to others, work with our sponsors and those we sponsor, work with new people coming in, etc.

It's truly a lifetime of goodness that I was never able of creating on my own. I'm thankful for the 12 steps and all of the 12 step programs that have evolved as my life has been saved at least doubly by this fact.

Great thread Idg!

:hi: