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madisgram · Oct 04, 2012, 11:53 AM

i know there are fairly new ppl to AA here so i thought i'd post this info. having a sponsor all the years of my sobriety has greatly benefited me. at first i clung to life thru her and meetings. i learned so much by watching her example and having one in one time with her. i asked LOADS of questions. i was so clueless. she was patient with me. many times her answers were thought provoking. if i didn't understand her reply i would ask for further explanation. i received the unconditionl love she offered. up til then i had never experienced that. she taught me so much about how to live sober. i will always be eternally grateful for her wisdom.
if you don't have a sponsor consider getting one. don't be afraid to ask! how i identified my sponsor-everytime she spoke i could readily understand what she was saying. her sharing was not holier than thou. she was spiritual and humble. i finally asked her after a meeting. she said yes. one of the early meetings we went to was an anniversary-birthday-celebration for her. imagine my surprise she was celebrating 35 yrs. at that time. thank goodness i wasn't afraid to ask. i hit the bullring on the first try.

but if you're not getting what you need from your sponsor look around for another who you feel is a good fit. but don't forget to thank your first one for the time she gave you. it's a nice gesture.

Quote:

So just What does a sponsor do?
In some ways, a sponsor is like a good friend, a teacher, a tutor, and an experienced guide. A sponsor is someone who has been where we want to go in our twelve step program and knows how we can best get there. Their primary responsibility is to help us work the 12 steps by applying the principles of the program to our lives. They lead us by example as we see how the program works in their lives through sharing their personal experiences and stories of where they were and where they are now. We start to learn how to become sober by listening and doing the footwork that our sponsor shows us on a daily basis. In time we make these new changes a habit which helps us to remain sober one day at a time. A.A. defines a sponsorship in this way: "An alcoholic who has made some progress in the recovery program who shares that experience on a continuous, individual basis with another who is attempting to attain or maintain sobriety through A.A." Every sponsor is different, just as each sponsee is different, but certain activities, responsibilities, and obligations are common in all sponsor/sponsee relationships. They are all working to help one another remain sober for just one more day by sharing themselves with one another.
http://12-steps-recovery.com/resources/sponsors/