my gratitude to aa

[desypete]

well i am sitting here today feeling very emotional infact i have had a cry today out of pure happiness

what brings this emotion to me ?
well i have helped a guy who came to aa 6 years ago, infact i met the guy in the prison when i was ruining the prison meeting for aa in my time at intergroup

anyway the guy was locked up for beating his new wifes boyfriend up and it was a hell of a nightmare scene, he was drunk, went around to his old home where his ex and her new partner were living and he took matters into his own hands out of the hurt and jealousy he was feeling and also because his ex wouldnt put up with him and his drinking anymore and he knew it

well the guy ended up getting locked up for his drunken brawl but worse was to come, he lost his job as he was inside, and futher more his ex wife got injunctions out on him so he could no longer see his kids or come within miles of her or her boyfriend etc

now sober the guy is a gentle giant he really is a caring man but his actions cost him much

so there is an outline of the sort of thing that happens in aa to people
now like i said he came to the meeting in prison and his life was over he had nothing anymore to live for of to look forward to

he was released after some months and he came along to the meetings he was bitter and angry at what was happening to him but thanks to aa we managed to get him to see its his own fault etc
he fought like hell over his chidren and i could understand him so much as i lost my own kids through my drinking and ended up in prison just the same
but for me i got my kids back after 12 months or so once the powers that be could see i had changed, and it was clear as i was not getting arrested anymore for my drunkenss and i was holding down a job at last also they could see the difference in me as i was sober now and not stinking of booze and sluring my speach or getting very angry at them
so for me it was easy so long as i followed what aa had shown me

now this guy had to endure 5 years without his kids, that is 5 years of heartache for him and torture however he did learn to cope like we all have to but it still doesnt mean the problem goes away or your going to be happy joyus and free about
well 5 years on and the guy has a good job he has a new wife his life is so so different from the drunk i met in prison
and now today finally after all theses years he has been able to get to see his kids and they are all spending some real time back with there dad again

now i remember just how lost this guy was at one point in his life time and all i could do was try to give him hope that one day things would all turn out ok

well it certainly has and i am just amazed at how aa transforms us and gives us our lives back it really is amazing and i just wanted to share this tale
as its what aa is all about giving out hope and being there always ready to help those who wish to have it

right now that is over its back out there and see who else we can help eh ?

[PaigeB]

I know the feeling. I am just short of getting my annual milestone and gratitude for the people who helped me is foremost in my mind. There were many ~ and there are one or two in particular. I was a scary crazy person, but they never let on if they were scared. Now they remind me every year!

But if you want to know how I am working my program today and how it is working - ask my family.

[ezdzit247]

Love to read stories about AA miracles. Thanks for sharing that with us, Pete!

[Duke]

Thanks Pete. I appreciate you sharing that story. I had the privilege to celebrate two thirty year birthdays today. One of the fellas came once a long time ago. He promptly went out muttering, got stinking drunk and just about killed himself driving.

To this day, he says he has no way to explain why he survived and why he didn't kill someone else. But he says he got the message. He came back as soon as he was able and is now one of the humble old-timers that keeps AA going.

Needless to say, I was filled with gratitude and wonder today. You've added to that. Thanks.

[Rockyroad2]

What a great testimony, I am a female in my 30s who also due to a relapse has lost my family I am plugged into my local AS. Thank you for this hop

[positrac]

Every so often we have the privilege of helping a lone soul in the world and some how they pay if forward and we can be reminded of the little things that held such a huge impression. Not AA related although kind of a similar heartfelt event in my life today. I worked with this big political program and our product weighed around 100 tons soaking wet and would also be known through out the world for decades to come. All I am saying is serious and although I am not saying it in details I am saying it in details----- So one of the head engineers came to me after I hadn't seen him in several years and it was so refreshing to see him, but he said I brought so much real knowledge to the team that they with all of the skills of math couldn't actually understand because I had hands on knowledge. I said I wish someone at the time would of just told me this when I was feeling so out of place as that little compliment would of really made me feel humble and yet worth. (Political) Yes very cut throat from the top down and I had to jump to a new job because I was not happy.

So we do give to others when they least expect it and today I was honored and it made me feel weird because I had forgotten the work I was part of back then. So this news kept me humble, and it didn't allow my ego to be what it wasn't and maybe this was meant to be.

Pete good for you on what AA has done for you through others and may your skills keep touching those who suffer one soul at a time.