The Empty Chair

[Norwejn]

Mine is not for none but me
I dwelleth amid sobriety
For no man nor beast
can take it from me.
From this chair I see.

Yours is ours front and rear
I taketh in what I'm to hear
Evidence of grace abundantly clear
fault not your fear
Give it to Him from that chair.

And alas, there's another
yet unfound, sits uncovered
waits in sadness for my brother.
I pray he finds
Peace like mine

from that empty chair.


2-28-09

[jak]

Thanks Nor,
That is soulful.

I was told when I first came to AA, "Pick a chair and claim it as your own." I can now recommend doing that.

There are also chairs that are 'haunted' for me now. I remember where Mark sat before he left and died.

As we open with the Serenity Prayer I, in my heart, invite my Higher power to join us at the meeting and I imagine that one of those empty chairs is filled with a good spirit.

jim k

[nuyterwe]

Hi,
It feels like I am perplexed to sit in those chairs. It appears that they're gonna eat me in full.
But this chair idea is very good.

[vujim]

I agree, very heartfelt and touching, thanks Norwejn

[SethV86]

Beautiful! We say there's no dues or fees for that seat but I disagree. I traded everything and endured decades of exhausted struggle to get to my seat in AA! Defeat gets my ass in the seat but God keeps me in it by working the steps with other alcoholics.

[PaigeB]

Pitiful
And
Incomprehensible
Demoralization.

PAID. (pg 30 BB) Yes. I PAID for my seat. Early on, a fella told me about P.A.I.D. He said "Never let anyone tell you that you didn't!" The fighter in me liked that and I needed that fighter to hang on through a few times that I thought I had been told I did not belong. One time in particular, a gal told me that AA was really no place for an atheist - that I was too arrogant to find a program that worked for me. Of course I proved her wrong and Ego had a hand in that many many times!

But working the Steps, I DID have a spiritual experience. Around 7 years sober I realized that I maybe was not the firm atheist I used to be. I got a new sponsor and started the BB reading with her and worked the Steps over again. That further strengthened my Faith in my HPs. I still vacillate between atheist, agnostic and believer. But I'm ok now. I know I am not, never was, nor will I ever be - alone again.

I remember when that empty chair was MY chair. I love that chair.