The Groove

 Funny how meetings seem to get into a groove sometimes where the same ideas come up over and over.  They're usually good ideas, of course, and worthy of repetition, the point being that sometimes when I need to hear a certain theme or concept it seems to be repeated over and over.  Service has been my reminder du jour lately.  How am I being of service?  What am I doing for other people?  How am I loosening some of the fascination I have with myself and all of the excruciating minutiae of my boring life?

A section of the Big Book that we read had a woman show up at a meeting where only one other member was present.  She was new and he sat there and listened to her drone on and on until she was talked out.  Wherever two members are . . . that's a meeting.  His service was sitting mute for an hour while this newcomer was beginning to plug in.  It required no special knowledge or experience.  Makes me think about how I stake out a spot near the door of my regular meetings and call that service.  Reminds me of a scene from Monty Python where King Arthur is trying to cross a bridge that is guarded by a fearsome, Darth Vader-like knight, clad in black armor from head to toe.  To Arthur's request to cross the bridge he says: "None . . . shall pass."  When Arthur informs him he's coming anyway Darth Vader in Iron warns: "Then . . . you shall die."  I'm not that strident about greeting people but I'm trending that way.

With the service topic sponsorship usually makes an appearance.  I'm still befuddled and bemused by how hands-on it is here in laid-back California - lots of getting together face-to-face, reading the book slowly, with the sponsor explaining what things mean.  Whew.  My first sponsor in Indianapolis never sat down with me in person, ever.  I called him and he talked to me for a short period of time - usually less than five minutes - and then the conversation ended, usually with me seething at something this asshole said.  I didn't get the sense he was particularly interested in anything I had to say.  I don't sponsor people here, mostly because no one asks me and if they do they usually flee quickly.  It's not that I'm mean or anything, just that I'm not going to read The Book with anyone.  Read The Book on your own fucking time and call if you have a question or a comment.  Frankly, I don't have enough insight on anyone else's life to be comfortable telling them how to interpret the literature.  If you want a more in-depth explanation of what's in The Book then go to Book study meetings where they read The Book and you can get input from a lot of different people, not one deeply flawed individual