When I first got sober, I did not understand how working with others could keep me sober. After all, I had enough problems with three teenagers, my mom and my job to keep track of. I really didn’t have the energy to listen to someone else’s problems. It was suggested, however, that I start working with other women and get out of myself. So I did.
My sponsor assured me, “If someone wants to stay sober, you can’t say anything wrong, and if someone wants to drink, you can’t say anything right.” In other words, their sobriety was in their hands and not mine.
In the beginning, I did not know what to do except read through the AA Big Book and the Twelve And Twelve to help them learn about the Steps. I have found, through the years, many resources to help with sponsoring. AA has several great publications, such as, Drop the Rock, The Little Red Book, and even some that are not AA approved books, like A Women’s Way Through The 12 Steps. I find that in going through the Steps again with another woman, I am always working on my character defects and finding other new ways to improve my relationships with others.
Through the years, I have sponsored many women. Some have stayed sober and some have not. I have enjoyed this experience immensely. Getting to know other women and watching them grow has been one of the greatest gifts in my sobriety. They remind me of how things used to be and can be again if I pick up, but even more importantly, they remind me to be grateful each and every day.
