Steady Persistence

 So one of the ringleaders at the break-away meeting is a decent friend of mine.  He could rightly be called a curmudgeon.  He's one of those incredibly strong personalities which he makes absolutely no attempt to moderate - one of those guys who has a bunch of friends and even more people who just shake their head at his antics if they can stop short of actively disliking him.  I hear "That's Mark" often when his name comes up.  Nonetheless, he would show up at the 7 AM meeting an hour early, open the door, and talk to any newcomers that show up.  I don't care for his politics or his social attitudes at all while recognizing that he's one of those important figures in A.A.  We've got enough people like me: impatient, quick to dismiss anyone who I don't think is serious about recovery, someone who isn't going to get to an early meeting an hour earlier than that.  When I'm on my game I admire his contributions.  We always greet each other, maybe talk for a minute, but we don't get much further than that.  He gives me a lot of props as a long-timer in recovery but otherwise we're just too different as peopl.

I have been pretty exercised by this break-away meeting and I've imagined a steady stream of agitated conversations with him, one of the main ring-leaders of the split.  So yesterday I thought: "Huh.  Why don't you just fucking call the guy."  I have talked with him on a regular albeit infrequent basis over the years so this wasn't a big stretch on my part.  Why not call and be positive and affirming?  What do I know about how the world should operate anyhow?  We had, of course, a particularly ordinary and inoffensive talk.  He's committed to his meeting and he only brought up one mild, oblique reference to what I would call a conspiracy theory.  He seemed kind of excited that I called.  People generally know what I'm thinking - I don't make much of an effort to hide my contempt or disapproval.  I don't harangue people, preferring to go talk to someone else, but I'm sure he had picked up the vibe.  

"Spiritual development is achieved by daily persistence in living the way you believe God wants you to live.  Like the wearing away of a stone by steady drops of water, so will your daily persistence wear away all the difficulties and gain spiritual success for you.  Never falter in this daily, steady persistence."