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Monday, August 31, 2009

Hope is a Good Thing, Maybe the Best of Things, and No Good Thing Ever Dies

When I first read 'Rita Hayworth', a novelette authored by Stephen King when I was a much younger man, I realized there were some valuable lessons to be sure, but being young, drunk and stupid, they totally escaped me. Much like the rest of life's most valuable lessons.

Released in 1994, coincidentally (?) the year I got sober, the larger lessons were clearer to me, for working the steps started to open my eyes. Greatest of these were the concepts of hope (I had been hopeless and helpless before coming to AA), determination (I had always given up on everything) and friendship ( I knew not how to be a friend - the truth is, I had never learned how to love). In short, faith, hope and love. Where have I heard this before? Hmmm, a quick scan of the web leads us to 1 Corinthians 13: "...these three things remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love".

So was Andy DuFraine wrong? Is hope NOT the greatest of all things? I would have to say no - the Word is correct. Love, in my experience, is the greatest of all things - for in May of 2007 my life had gotten so bad that I was honestly thinking of taking God's greatest gift; in fact, I had gone to a sober club med in a place called - WAIT FOR IT - Zihuatenjo - and a woman at an AA meeting heard tale of despair she said, and I quote: '..David - I know you don't want to listen to me and hear my story, but if I have to sit on you for a week you will learn what happened to me and it will be your path out of the darkness". She was right...I, who had LOST all hope, was saved by the love of a complete stranger, who loved me in the only way you can be loved, which is unconditionally, as we do in AA for each other in AA for every day.

I am so grateful to Andrea G. for saving my life.


Thank you, Red. Thank you, Andrea. And I thank God for my membership in AA. If I live to be a thousand years old, I can never say 'thank you' enough.
Posted by Child of God, First Class at 12:44 AM

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Welcome as a witness to a fools journey out of the darkness. I welcome all tidings - you are all my teachers on this path toward a meaningful and purposeful sobriety.

COG, 1st Cl.

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