The Twelfth Step

More than a decade ago now, you would probably never hear out of anyone’s mouth who knew me that Andrew Arthur Dawson was a guy who liked to help people just because. Because Andrew Arthur Dawson back then didn’t like to help anyone but himself unless there was some angle or kick back or something coming back to him. I thought of that today when I awoke with less than 3 hours of sleep in the midst of my vacation and still went with my best friend Cedric to his church to help him decorate some bushes with Christmas lights for an upcoming living nativity scene they’re having.

On some level, what was so ironic about this is how I awoke this morning and felt both my old and new self at the same time. The old self-centered one said, “I’m too tired, too stressed out, and really too everything. I’m sure Cedric will understand if I opt to just lay low and sleep more of the day away. After all, it’s my vacation.” But the 12 Step Recovery and God-centered selfless individual in me also said, “It’s your best friend and he needs your help. And you’re here to spend time with him. You may not get that moment again.” Thankfully, I listened to my Higher Self and tagged along, even surprising Cedric along the way, as he verbally recollected all those years ago when I only thought of myself in help-needed circumstances like this.

With 12 Step Recovery and God at my helm, I have truly learned to love helping people, just because. Honestly, I would give the shirt off my back just to bring Light to another soul today and I so mean that. I find great joy in seeing another shine. I only wish I had learned this valuable lesson long ago when I first got sober from alcohol and drugs. Sadly, I didn’t and spent far too long caught up in myself and countless addictions that only made me into a person who looked at what he could get out of the world and everyone around him.

It’s amazing that Cedric stood by my side during all those selfish years. I’m absolutely sure I wouldn’t have if he had acted the same way I was with him back then. Our friendship today has withstood a lot of division solely because that selfishness is gone and now I bring to the table the very same thing he practices so diligently. And we both give thanks to just two common factors for this, our recovery from addiction, and our devotion to serving a Higher Power’s needs before our own.

So yes, I don’t help people anymore because of what I want to get back. I don’t keep some secret repository of all the things I did for another hoping to get it back someday. And I don’t hold a prior thing I did for another over their head either. I simply just like to help people, just because, just because I love God, and just because I love living out the true purpose of 12 Step recovery, one that lies in the 12^th Step itself…

Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson