In The Service

Service:  An act of being of assistance to someone.
Serve:  To be useful to.

During my morning Quiet Time I have a few prayers and/or mantras and/or affirmations and/or requests that I make and/or say in between the sexual fantasies and/or angry tirades that comprise my Quiet Time.  A couple of years back a woman mentioned that she asks every day for her Higher Power to reveal ways that she can be of service to somebody else.  I really like that so I stole it for my own personal use.  It's nice and vague, real open-ended, letting my HP, in his wisdom, present opportunities to me if and/or when he sees fit.  I'm content with what comes my way and I'm almost always presented with something, although a lot of the time they aren't the big and/or showy and/or dramatic opportunities that befit someone of my lofty status.

My motto: Don't do anything nice for anyone unless you get credit.

We've had a new woman coming to our meeting who is checking in each time by sharing her day count: "Today I have 6 days and this is the 7th day I got up without a hangover."  On Saturday I was in my typical spot standing right outside the door to the meeting, a post I take up immediately, so I can harass and/or greet people as they arrive.  It's perfect for an outgoing guy like me who doesn't like people - I get to talk to everyone, but for just a quick minute, all while being in perfect position to snub the assholes I don't like, and I do a LOT of snubbing.

When this woman walked by I tossed out a greeting and added: "15 days today?"  Now, mind you, I only had a general idea of the exact number of days but I try to make our new members feel welcome.  It's what I do.  I'm not saying it's appreciated but it is a talent and/or defect that I have.  In all of my traveling I've found that a lot of folks talk to their friends instead of spreading the love around.

Today she pulled me aside: "I wanted to tell you that I couldn't believe you remembered how long I had been sober.  I thought: 'How did he know that?' But I wanted you to know that I was really touched."

It reminded me of my early days when people I didn't remember ever seeing  would ask me some specific question about something I had talked about the previous week.