SPEAKER IN THE 4TH DIMENSION

APOLOGY: This post is not the one 

promised (Men and Machines II) but 

the following was on my mind tonight:

Someone who barely knows me, asked if I would speak Thursday morning 8:30 AM at 24-Hour Club in Naples. Of course I will. In all these years I have never heard a real alcoholic who is serious about recovery, say "No!" to any request to serve the fellowship which saved my life.

Several years ago I spoke, and just prior had read an article in which I learned that one can lose immediately 2 inches (5 cm) around the waist line if they but stand up straight. I tried it. It worked! There I stood before 150 people, to 'humbly' share my singular spirituality, my great strength and hope, my awesome love of all things, my total sobriety, and how all this happened. Well, I stood up, nice and tall. Yes, I immediately lost 2 inches off my waist. Also I immediately lost my pants!
Instantly I transformed into "Mr Humility" Or is that called Mr Humiliated? All the Ego stuff I had planned--what a wonderful recovering alcoholic I had become-grin!--flew right out the window. Honesty took over. Somehow it just seemed appropriate.

Thursday I will tell them what it was like as best I can recall--when I was drinking; what finally happened, what changes took place, and what my life is like now. I must be honest--for this, my program of Alcoholics Anonymous is how I stay sober, happy, and live without my crutch alcohol.

Oh! What an ugly story--my alcoholic progression--from earliest memory.

To tell what my life is like now will be a challenge, because sharing the singular lurid details is not required. But how do I sift them, cull them from the flock of my activities? Some people's stories are based on "The good I have done, since being sober!...ETC!"

I have never awakened thinking, "Well, I'm going out and 'do some good' today!" I wake up happy EVERY day, no matter what. I don't know why--it is a gift which I appreciate, accept, and use. I look in my book to see where I must be and when, and then put one foot in front of the other...that is, after attending to my one last(ing) obsession, blogging.

I know that God is working when (Example):  in a long line at the market, one lady in front of me is vocally unhappy about everything, so full of negativity. I 'mentally pounce' on her, full of smiles, and smiling remarks. By the time she leaves, she smilingly thanks me for helping brighten her day, or some such. And I KNOW God purposefully brought us together for those minutes. These happenings really, really occur. Frequently. Daily.

Not to give an impression that mine is a 'perfect' life...far from that. But I DO enjoy life as it unfolds, or as I unfold it. And I see humor in places where laughter is absent.
Inappropriate here is mention of the good, bad, and the ugly of me. But I will disclose these attributes at my talk on Thursday. Also I will ask God to allow me to say one thing--in any event--which will have meaning and consequence in the mind and heart of at least one person maybe just off the street, or one old-timer still suffering in some way.

And this to you I swear: I WILL keep my pants on!

image from Internet, no info...