FELLOW TRAVELER

I STEPPED ON SOME TOES...............

It seems I have stepped on the toe's of another, who happens to be an alcoholic, & they retaliated. I deserved it, what they do is none of my business. I need to stay in my own 'hoola hoop'. How do you do that, & help another alcoholic? I try to stay in my experience, strength, & hope, & I am honest about telling the other person what I see them doing. Well, that wasn't appreciated one bit! She yelled at me, in defense of herself. Isn't that what we do? I've done it, so I do understand, so I apolojized. Even tho I'm right LOL. Sometimes there's a fine line in what you say that will be helpful. I am so glad my friends were honest with me & didn't, still don't, co-sign my bullshit. If they would have, I'd be dead by now, or still really miserable. So, I don't talk too much recovery with people I can't be honest with, that would be decieving. I don't want to come off as being holier than thou, either. It's a fine line. If I stick to my experience, strength, & hope, & don't offer advice. I also can't offer my help, if they aren't willing to hear the truth. Sometimes the truth hurts, I know it has me, at times, but I sure don't want lies, or people to feel like they have to coddle me, I don't want to be coddled. I am given encouragement, & pats on the back, when I deserve it. But if I'm fucking up, I'm told about it, I'm challenged. How else am I going to learn, or grow, or find out about me? Let's face it, I wasnt always nice. I don't want to dwell on it, but I have to get past it, & the only way to do that, is to face, work thru it, then & only then will I come out on the other side. But, I've been doing someone else's inventory, & I think I know what's best for them. Only God knows that, & maybe some with more sobriety than I have. I talked about it in a meeting today, & some people came up to me afterwards, with some very wise words. I have to remember the 3thd tradition, that hit smack dab in my face. At all costs, we get along with our fellow alcoholics, we may ruin a chance to help at a later time, in the meantime, let go, & go on to someone else, who has the willingness, & an open mind, to help. I'm so grateful I wasn't turned away, or ridiculed when I was 'trying' to get sober. Eventually I was DONE, then I GOT IT! What a blessing. I welcome any comments on this.

posted by sharonsjourney @ 3:39 PM