Catalyzt
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
This is a core principle in 12-step. Classic situation is when a new sponsee with only two weeks calls the sponsor and starts complaining that his wife and kids would drive anyone to drink, and the sponsor says, "Call three newcomers today and ask them how they are doing. Oh, and show up early for out 8:00 meeting, I want you to greet everyone. And clean out the ashtrays, and I may need you to give this other guy a lift to rehab, so clear your calendar for Saturday."I also did some good deeds and that makes me the happiest. Isn't it funny that the most selfish thing you can do is doing something selfless for others? Nothing makes me feel better, nothing. If you are feeling blue try it. It is not pretending that everything is hunky dory. It is a coping technique when it is not.
I gave a lift to a guy who was straight out of prison one night. (He was no problem, and I was armed in case he was!) My favorite Thanksgiving meeting, we were hanging out outside, and some girl ran up to us asking for protection from four guys who were following her. She pointed at them-- no one was there, she was hallucinating wildly. She wasn't even looking for an AA meeting, she was running to the church figuring God might help her!
We finally figured out she had to go to the hospital, so I took her. This time I did ask her to turn her pockets inside out and show me her waistband to make sure she was not strapped. We had a hilarious ride to the ER. "I was so sure those guys were real!" She said. "Believe me, I know the feeling," I told her. "My pursuers usually were demons or giant pterodactyls flying up at me through the sidewalk from another dimension, but I get the general idea." We had a lot of laughs. She was too paranoid to give her ID to anyone at the Emergency Room, so I finessed it with her. "I think she lost her driver's license." The security guard rolled his eyes, and said they'd evaluate her anyway-- she wasn't safe wandering around in that state.
One of the best Thanksgivings ever! And I forgot about whatever was bothering me really quickly!