It’s Sobergirl!

A share at an AA meeting rekindled our joyful passion for the Program.

An AA sister spoke; she had a couple of years in the Program. She was a live wire at the meetings, friendly and outgoing.

She introduced herself and said, “you know, I love this Program and this sober life.

“I love getting calls for help. I love carrying the message of hope and sobriety. I feel like … Supergirl.

“During the day, I am a mild-mannered lawyer. At night when I go to an AA meeting or on a 12-Step call, I lose my work clothes and put on my AA cape, and presto, I am Supergirl — or better yet — I am Sobergirl!

“I am flying to the rescue, and I have super-sober-powers.

“I go to a meeting and watch for anyone who needs help.

“I take a newcomer in hand. I make them feel comfortable and give them hope. If someone is troubled, I use my super listening powers.

“I have value and something to offer.

“I have powers that normies don’t understand. Wired like the other alkies in the room, I can communicate with them faster than a speeding bullet and leap barriers of communication in a single bound. I have superpowers.

“Part of it might be ego. Part of it might be selfish; I take pride in what I am doing. But wow, what a feeling.”

Without knowing it, our AA sister had used her superpowers on me.

I heard this and thought, “she is right to be excited. Where am I? Would someone listening to me see that same sense of vitality and excitement?”

I did not like my answers. No, I thought to myself, I am not there. I had lost the juice. I had lost the excitement and the thrill of being sober and helping a newcomer. I had become complacent. It was time for me to get in gear.

Her share and her enthusiasm challenged me to consider where I was in the Program. Was I thrilled to be helping and excited to take that call when the display on my phone showed a sponsee? Was I ready to drop everything and mobilize to help someone? Did I have my siren and flashing lights to race out to a Twelve-Step call?

Bill Wilson described our fellowship as passengers on a lifeboat. Well, my lifeboat had rowed out to a safe spot, and I was resting on my oars. I was safe and sound.

It was time to turn the lifeboat around and row back to save more passengers still in the water. It was time to start looking for someone who needed help. It was time to get engaged.

By God, it was time to get going!

That woman never knew what she had started. And my poor sponsees never knew what hit them.