Writing Prompt: AA Promises

 Prompt: Think about the AA Promises. Write something about a promise coming true in your life, or a promise(s) you would like to see happen.

Sometimes quickly, Sometimes slowly

I love it when the AA Promises are read before the meeting begins. Listening to them gives me hope that there will be a bright light at the end of my long, sometimes dark recovery journey. I’ve been at this sobriety thing off and on for 25 years; but only this recent go around have I been working with a sponsor on the Steps and earnestly looking for the promises coming true. So far, I have experienced the following promises:

1. We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.

Like all alcoholics, I have done things in the past while drunk that I was deeply ashamed of. But when I opened up to sponsor Shawn and told him about things, my shame started to diminish. I don’t want to forget where I’ve come from and I won’t. My spiritual rock bottom was extremely vivid and painful. But today I’m on much stronger spiritual footing. There’s no room for regrets.

2. We will see how our experience can benefit others.

Attending sponsor Shawn’s Monday night Zoom for over 3 1/2 years, I’ve had ample opportunity to share my experience, strength and hope with the other attendees. I’ve been amazed by the people who have reached out to me after a meeting to let me know how much they appreciated what I shared. That makes me feel so good.

and 3. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows.

One of the most important things in my life is my relationship with sponsor Shawn and the members of my AA groups I attend. This fellowship with other alcoholics in recovery takes my focus off of myself and puts it squarely on hoping for the well being of friends trudging the same recovery road that I am. I truly love the AA fellowship I am a part of, and I care deeply about people I have met. When they share about themselves I’m interested in what they say. My life is richer because of these relationships.

As I continue working on the Steps with Shawn, I’m really looking forward to the following promises coming true: Fear of people and economic insecurity will leave us. Self seeking will slip away. We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace. And We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.

I’ve had glimpses of some of these promises working in my life. There are moments in my day when I feel truly peaceful and serene. And in a few instances, I’ve prayed to God and he’s taken away my acute anxiety I was feeling. I look forward to experiencing all of the promises more fully. Sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly, they will always materialize if I work for them.