Big Book Walking

I was at a one year medallion the other day for my best friend Jon. He was at my very first meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous and had three years at the time. I spoke to him at my second meeting asking him where the "meeting after the meeting" was being held and he told me what that actually meant. Since that first piece of info Jon would pass on to me his experience, strength and hope and to this day I have passed it on to others. He passed on to me what those who came before him passed on to him and I feel it has made me a better member of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Jon's first year medallion was his third one and, Higher Power willing, will be his last. He no longer lives in the area where I sobered up having moved to a different city. As I heard people talk about Jon and his journey I remembered reading about how Bill Wilson (co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous) had written a letter to someone who was having a hard time staying sober, telling that person that every person has a different journey some harder than others. One attendee at the medallion called Jon a Big Book Walking. Which got me to thinking that without the Big Book and Alcoholics Anonymous I would be a dead man walking. For that is what I felt like walking into that first meeting where I met Jon (and many others who are good friends of mine to this day). Alcohol and drugs had eaten away at my very soul and by the time I entered the rooms I was just existing rather than living.

My journey began at that meeting and I would soon get myself a home group, a sponsor and begin working the steps and doing service work. I began service work before I even got to Step 12 by helping set up chairs, sharing how I was staying sober to people with less time than me, etc. Within six months I completed the Steps and had become right with my Higher Power, myself and my fellow humans. I know today that I have a lot of relapses in me but I'm pretty sure I don't have another recovery in me so I must ensure I work on my spirituality every day for that daily reprieve.

Some AAers say we may be the only Big Book someone reads. I say better a Big Book walking than a dead man walking.
Dave the Dude