“If only you believed in miracles” – Marty Balin
Recently I was discussing the topic of miracles with some friends. We read pages 188-189 in the Big Book (Alcoholics Anonymous). The section described AA number three and how he came into the fellowship. The topic and story resonated with all of us. It truly is a miraculous story.
Two friends shared how they had recently returned to the fellowship after having done more research on the disease. One had six years of recovery before he went back out and the other over two decades. They reminded all of us that even though we have hit bottom that doesn’t necessarily mean that we are through. Our friends found that “bottom” has a basement and in that basement, there was a shovel.
I was reminded of the words that are found in the middle of page 85 in the Big Book. There it reminds me that alcohol is a “subtle foe.” Alcohol is ruthless in its patience. It will bide its time for years and even decades and then when I least expect it or I’m at a weak spot in my life, alcohol will whisper in my ear, “Come on John, we can have a drink. Just one won’t hurt you.”
Just a few lines further on page 85 it tells me, “What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition.” Ah, but therein lies the rub. What is this maintenance of our spiritual condition? What does it look like? What are the actions and thoughts involved in it?
At a recovery retreat I attended some years ago, the facilitator asked us this very question. She went on to answer the question by saying that the maintenance of our spiritual condition meant daily prayer and meditation. She said prayer was talking to God and mediation was listening to God. She said that the maintenance included daily contact with another person in recovery. The person contacted could be a friend, sponsor, spiritual advisor, but it had to be someone who knows me and who knows this disease. She said that the maintenance of our spiritual condition was doing some recovery related reading every day. And she concluded that the maintenance of our spiritual condition meant faithful attendance at our home group.
Some people say, “I’ll believe it when I see it.” A mentor of mine used to say, “I’ll see it when I believe it.” Albert Einstein once wrote, "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
When I left the discussion with my friends, I felt so grateful for the miracle of recovery that has been bestowed upon us. I felt so grateful for Bill, Dr. Bob and AA number three starting the first AA group. I felt so grateful for the miracle of this program.
