I did not get sober in a nutshell. I was not hidden from the universe when I put the plug in the jug. To be honest, as hard as sobriety was to achieve, the rest of society barely noticed. I like it that way. I was just another sick person who stopped being as mentally and spiritually sick as I had done before.
My sponsorship line includes many many names on the level directly above me. I.E., I have had many many sponsors. To name them here would not be proper, due to anonymity. However, I have tried to faithfully reproduce their lessons here. Yet, here, on this blog, I would like to officially recognize them.
My first sponsor was a strong and wonderful person. She had sobriety. We also lived in the age where long distance calling was expensive. I was broke, as many of us were and still are. I could not afford to call, and yet she still supported me the best she could.
Sponsor number two gave me two cats, and gave me another lesson. She taught me that we all make mistakes. She taught me some of the bones of the program. She also taught me to walk away from a sponsor when their life goes back to unmanageability.
Sponsor three was a challenge. I was directly asked why “X” was my sponsor. I was a quick mouth, and said, “She shows me what not to do in meetings.” She was socially inappropriate, and would grope men in the meetings. Yet she knew the program frontwards and backwards. She may have not worked the program to everyone else’s liking but she taught me quite a bit.
Sponsor four, stalked me.
Sponsor five, I almost went back out drinking over.
Sponsor six, I still am with today for the most part. I ask questions, life questions occasionally, but we are not as tight as we used to be.
Sponsor seven asked me to sponsor her when she went back out drinking. She passed away a couple of years ago.
Another sponsor was a wonderful, kind, loving and sweet person. She taught me to not give up no matter what. She also taught me to keep coming back, even after her death. I still miss her everyday. Another sweet woman was as strong as nails. She taught me that I was too.
Lastly, the last two sponsors, the best two were a husband and wife team. Working the program is hard, and they taught me how to survive sober.
Then there were the jackleg sponsors, those who answered questions after a meeting. There was the spiritual advisor, who challenged me the most.
I am grateful to them all, for all of the lessons, and the work. Thank you for my recovery today.
I am grateful to them all.
AnonymousKnitter 