Our Primary Purpose

 I have to challenge myself often by asking what I’m doing to help those who are still suffering from alcoholism. There are parameters involved, the first being do they want help? If my help becomes a nagging reminder to them, I’m not being helpful, nor am I encouraging through ‘attraction, not promotion’. If what I say and do is simply feeding my ego, I need to shut right up and trust that their Higher Power is working on it. If asked, however, my first responsibility to to share my own story. 

What a strange combination of humility and sometimes brutal honesty! If I share through pride, I’m on the wrong path and need to recalibrate. I can’t hide my past actions or inactions and tell a complete and honest story. Those who still suffer are experiencing fighting their shadow selves, hoping to disown them by drowning them. They are living with that same sense of feeling uniquely damaged that I felt, and need to hear that I, and others, have also experienced personal failure, but have emerged whole with self-acceptance and accessible change.

Whether one-on-one or at a group level, I help myself best by being of service to others. I continue my personal work, and strive to remain open, honest, and available.