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From: Steve S Dalton Ga
Category: Category 1
Date: 21 Jan 1999
Time: 21:52:03
Remote Name: atl2-wc1.atlas.digex.net
I think this workshop is one of the most wonderful things that's happened in a while. I'd like if I may to give you some ideas based on some of my personal experance. A couple of years ago I had a young man ask me to be his sponsor.At first I was reluctent because of our age differance. I wondered what I had to share with him considering the fact that I was old enough to be his father.On one hand I had used drugs for as long as he had been alive. On the other hand this was an addict seeking recovery and I was taught never to say no to anyone who came to me asking for help.My solution was to be his temporary sponsor. I gave him a first step work sheet that I got out of this book and told him to call me. I honestly never expected him to ever follow through but he called every day on a regular basis and within a couple of weeks had completed the worksheet, As we sat down to go over his work I could hear the same pain and confusion in his voice that I remembered feeling with less than thirty days clean. It started to dawn on me that this was not a kid but an addict with the same fears and insecurities that I have. And it is on that level that we all must find recovery. Being different will leave us with a feeling of not belonging. We must practice the princinciple of anonymity among all of our members regardless of age race sexual identity creed religion or lack of religion. I could go on and on about this principle but I feel it is each members responsibility to learn to identify and not to compair ourselfs to each other. Others may disagree with my views on how to practice this princable but for myself it is not negotiable and I one young man whos life may have been changed by it.