Maximum Helpfulness to Others – This Is Your Job!
Quote’s from the book, “Alcoholics Anonymous”, it speaks of being of service or being of maximum helpfulness to others. It does not mince word.
” Your job now is to be at the place where you may be of maximum helpfulness to others, so never hesitate to go anywhere if you can be helpful.
You should not hesitate to visit the most sordid spot on earth on such an errand.
Keep on the firing line of life with these motives and God will keep you unharmed”.
Difficult Days
Some days are difficult when your in the recovery business.
Watching alcoholism and drug addiction happen right in front of your eyes. I am so much reminded of my own powerlessness when I was stuck in the grips of addiction and alcoholism.
Time and time and time again, over and over, people in recovery would reach out to me.
Offering their assistance and I would just end up, once again, drunk and high. My family, my friends, my ex’s and past girlfriends, how they must have felt, seeing me destroy myself, along with their hopes and dreams for me.
A Few Characteristics
I am best described on page 21 in the “Big Book” –
Here are just a few characteristics:
1. seldom mildly intoxicated. Check !
2. does absurd, incredible things, tragic things while drinking. Check !
3. dangerously disgusting and anti-social. Check !
4. incredibly dishonest and selfish. Check !
5. senseless. Check !
6. a real Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Check !
They are just a few of the attributes that made up my personality, as a active alcoholic and drug addict. Very sick.
The crazy part of it all is that in my denial, I could not connect these to my addiction.
“THE BEDEVILMENT’S“
How does one tell if they are suffering from addiction — besides all the regular stuff like being arrested, hospitalized, beat down, thrown away, pushed off, well you get it !
Here is the best barometer I know, we call them “THE BEDEVILMENT’S“
1. We were having trouble with personal relationships
2. We couldn’t control our emotional natures
3. We were a prey to misery and depression
4. We couldn’t make a living
5. We had a feeling of uselessness
6. We were full of fear
7. We were unhappy
8. We couldn’t seem to be of real help to other people
Even Clean & Sober
This would occur when I while I was clean and sober. It was all about circumstances, and me being victimized by what others where doing to me.
Wow, just writing this brings me to a state of — What was I thinking!!!!!
Today, life is so much different and I am “no longer a slave to fear, anger, resentment, guilt, shame and such”.
No longer does each day bring dread and terror.
Today I live on the firing line of life, ready to help others 24/7/365.
The True Soldiers
Those out there are the real soldiers, those whom are dying needlessly.
One by one, in the darkness alone and lost without any hope!
As well as all the affected families standing behind the front lines . Those watching us perish and vanish from existence.
Helpless to Stop Them
Astonished and helpless to stop their sons, daughters, mums and dad, brothers, sisters.
Also very helpless to stop their aunts and uncles, cousins and nephews. Watching them succumb to addictions death.
The Solution – Maximum Helpfulness
We are the solution in the war on drugs.
Those in the trenches with the sick and suffering, bringing hope to those who can not see past the pain and terror of their addiction.
If you are recovered from alcoholism and/or drug addiction, it is your duty.
Duty and obligation to reach out. To be available for the next man or woman seeking help!
Bill Wilson, the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, was in Towns Hospital, detoxing for the third time, with his life on a string. He had been pronounced incurable!
His Story On Maximum Helpfulness
This is what he states in his story concerning this point………………………………….
Page 14, Alcoholics Anonymous, Chapter One — Bill’s Story
“While I lay in the hospital the thought came that there were thousands of hopeless alcoholics who might be glad to have what had been so freely given me. Perhaps I could help some of them. They in turn might work with others“.
He goes on……………….
“For if an alcoholic failed to perfect and enlarge his spiritual life through work and self-sacrifice to others, he could not survive the certain trials and low spots ahead. If he did not work, he would surely drink again, and if he drank, he would surely die. Then faith would be dead indeed. With us it is just like that”.
Practical Experience & Maximum Helpfulness
This concept is reiterated again later in the book , Alcoholics Anonymous. Written on page 124 in the chapter “The Family Afterward”. It states –
“Showing others who suffer how we were given help is the very thing that makes life seem so worth while to us now. Cling to the thought that, in God’s hands, the dark past is the greatest possession you have — the key to life and happiness for others. With it you can avert death and misery for them”.
And in conclusion to this point, the first paragraph in the chapter “Working with Others”, it clearly defines and describes an absolute guarantee for recovery!
“PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking as intensive work with other alcoholics.
It works when all other activities fail. This is our twelfth suggestion:
Carry this message to other alcoholics!
The 100% Proven Fact
Bill Wilson makes it very clear as to the proven fact that when we help others we receive the “Gift of Continued Recovery”.
Living free from all traces of addiciton. Living free and happy!
If this is something you have failed to do them why not give it a shot . What do you have to loose with trying???
If you do not know how to help, that’s OK.
You don’t need to know, all you really need is the willingness to try.
Ebby Thatcher
The man that brought the solution to Bill, Ebby Thacher, only had but a few months of sobriety when he met with Bill. Although Ebby did not stay sober, Bill did. Ebby failed as he did never resolve certain issues from his past. He failed to do the required work.
I hope not to disturb some of you, and if I have offended you, I’m sorry but being of maximum helpfulness, it’s……….
ONLY A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH . I HOPE YOU CHOOSE AS I DID!
Thank you for your time, it’s important how we use it!
Chris France | Chris France Media Ltd.