In one week I will be getting married. I’m forty-three and so glad I waited this long – first I needed to find God, then find myself, and then find the person that I will spend the rest of my life with. I don’t see anything wrong with having things be different for other people. For me this is what had to happen. I simply could not see me with someone as wonderful as my wife to be is had I thought I needed to get married – in essence, forced my hand – sometime before it was time for me to meet her. I do believe I needed to become so much better and healthy to be able to attract someone with her personality and qualities.
I’m reaping a lot of benefits from pushing myself to go to more meetings (and why should this be any kind of remarkable revelation?). I am meeting AA people around where I live, getting phone numbers, speaking up and out about what I think and feel about AA, and even getting some surprises. Yesterday I man that seemed vaguely familiar. In other words I know I have seen him a few times around the rooms. He came up to me after the meeting and said “hey short timer.” I was puzzled and said so. He said, well you are getting married next week, right? I was stunned. I had only mentioned my upcoming marriage once in meetings around here and it was weeks ago. This man not only remembered but he kindly, in a friendly sort of teasing way, wanted to acknowledge this big event in my life. I did ask him his name and I am sure I will not forget it.
Here I am sober twenty years. And it touches my heart that someone remembered me, had listened to what I said, and was thoughtful enough to say hi to me in the way he did. I have felt for a long time that it is so important how you act and treat other people. It is none of my business how I help or do not help someone. It is important that I try to be kind, thoughtful, considerate, and so on. My now new friend had no idea that I was going to have such a positive reaction to his being nice to me but he was just being nice anyway. And in doing so he made my day.
Be well,
AA Blogger
