Are all members given the opportunity to speak at meetings and to participate in other group activities?
I know that we all have been given the same opportunity to speak, participate, serve and sponsor.
I think that some of our members may use the format as a "on the side" platform, meaning they have face to face home groups or zoom home groups. I used that as my excuse for many years not to serve this group, or participate in business meetings-and that's not cool considering that this email group has been vital in my growth, sobriety and overall recovery.
Without guilt trips or pressure, I highly suggest those who aren't actively speaking, participating, serving or sponosing in our group, consider giving back to the group and charging this battery that is still a wonderful resource for those who are not comfortable on camera through zoom, chats and cannot attend face to face meetings for whatever reason.
I love this format because I love the written word. I love that I don't need to see your face to know your heart. I love that I can relearn some social skills that I had abandoned at a slow pace because it's done through email and not "on the spot" so I have time to process in a way that has helped me get out of fight or flight and reset my central nervous system for all the GO GO GO that I am also recovering from. I find now that when I have to be in that GO GO GO environment or around those who are in it, I am able to respond and carry myself much better because I have more confidence in my responses.
I know that when I commit to something or someone, I am more likely to want to keep that space clean, welcoming, safe, healthy, proactive, productive, accommodating, respectful, and keep it operating at its highest expression in service to God. This so that everyone that lives there, or comes over knows that space is blessed.
When I was couchsurfing, renting rooms, or renting homes, I still kept it nice and clean, but for reasons of survival and keeping up appearances so I could stay, or they would "keep me". Which is fine, but I wasn't fully committed or doing it to serve God, I was serving fear or ego in some way, even if I didn't know it. If I knew back then that I could bring God, even into spaces I was temporarily occupying, including jobs and meetings and relationships, that would have brought in light and not have left any negative energies residue behind, or taken on the energy from the prior residence or residences-thank God we have 8 and 9!
(sorry, I have a lot of insight on this right now...LOL..I will reel back in)
My point is that I should have commited to this group as my home group a long time ago. But, I didn't-and that's ok because I can now. I genuinely seek to amend my half measure/half in half out non committal lackadaisical attitude and everything that comes with that. I intend to be stable, steadfast and committed to AAS, just as I am to God, my physical home and my relationships now.
If we do not give back and keep this thing charged by God through us, it goes away. I ask that all my fellow members reconsider their presence and purpose for being here and for being sober today. Am I taking more than I am giving?
Everyday is a new day to turn to God instead of fear. Fear keeps me on the sidelines tossed around or frozen and complacent; God gives me courage to be in the trenches as an active, vital, stable, growing, conscious force because I'm committed to my sobriety and grateful everyday I am not hung over or worse!!
I am also grateful to all those that came before us to establish this resource in very new internet territory in the 90's. You can tell that God was indeed guiding them with what they were building here. I invite God back, through us, to inspire the group to come together in our Singleness of Purpose and commit, or recommit, to us as home and anchor the Spirit back into our space with active participation, enthusiasm and gratitude for what we have here.
Chop wood, carry water!