Welcome to another chapter of Grateful Heart Monday, where gratitude continues to be the only focus of my writing, which for today is for all the 12 Step sponsors out there who freely have given their time to help in another person’s recovery from addiction.
I can’t stress enough how much sponsorship has saved my own life thus far. From my very first sponsor, Lorraine, to my present sponsor, Jackie, and all those in between, I’ve learned so much valuable instruction and priceless life lessons to help me remain clean and sober from a number of addictions.
Having a sponsor is so important to the 12 Step path of recovery from addiction. I went many years without one to realize this, bouncing one idea after another, tons of issues, and all sorts of craziness off of myself, taking advice from my own ego, the results of which were often disastrous.
When Lorraine taught me the steps and guided me through the entire process long ago, there were plenty of times I wanted to give up. But, she was such a great sponsor who always knew the right things to say to help keep me going. She was the loving mother I never had for much of our time together. And with every subsequent sponsor I had after she passed, I gained new insight and precious guidance into my sobriety and my spiritual journey.
Many who have been sober for long periods of time will tell you the great gift that comes with sponsorship of another. For as much as there is often heartache in sponsoring another, there are also countless triumphs and celebrations to be had all while watching the growth of a sponsee. What’s involved in sponsorship is simply having a giving heart and the donating of one’s time all for the sake to help another learn how to remain clean and sober.
Presently, I meet with my current sponsor Jackie once a week for both an hour AA meeting and a lunch afterwards and I truly treasure every one of those moments I have with her. As it’s in those moments where I not only feel the love and fellowship of 12 Step recovery, but also learn a lot more about how to navigate through the murky waters of life as a recovering addict.
As I mentioned, sponsoring others isn’t always easy and I most certainly know of the pain and hardship I’ve caused plenty who’ve sponsored me over the years, just as much as I’ve known of the same that’s happened with individuals who’ve dedicated countless hours of their free time towards being a sponsor to another. It can often be a thankless job, but in the end, I tend to believe that 12 Step recovery continues to grow year after year around the world, solely because of those who continue to put time aside week after week via phone calls, meetings, and more, to be a sponsor to another in recovery from addiction.
That’s why today’s Grateful Heart Monday is solely dedicated to Lorraine, Brian, Karin, Lisa, Lionel, Lou, Carl, Anthony, Fran, Jackie, and everyone else out there in the 12 Step recovery world who have ever taken the invaluable step to sponsoring another soul, as its each of you who have truly made a difference in countless lives, including myself, and continue to do so every single day, one day at a time…
Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson
