Over the Thanksgiving Holiday I was Graced with the opportunity to speak at our local Alcathon,,where we hold meetings 24 hours a day throughout the Holiday..We offer food and fellowship for many of us addicts who feel alone and vunerable. I feel such gratitude during these meetings.

My topic was surrender.

For me,,this gift,,that of complete and utter surrender was/is the cornerstone of my recovery. Much of what followed was easier with this monumental moment. I was beat. No more deals,,no more compromises,,no more pretending. I waved the white flag with complete humility. This human being was defeated.

But the willingness that followed was the true miracle. The supreme closed mindedness of a raging alcoholic is both its defense and offense against change. Fear of letting go of the one consistent freind, my drug of choice, put walls of ignorance, bigotry and refusal to any froms of Truth no matter its delivery.

I became teachable.

I don't know why my crisp moment of surrender had such a profound impact upon my total psyche or why I was even offered it. But I have wrapped my arms around this gift as if no other would ever come. I was wrong about that...many gifts have followed,,but my humble grasp of its importance to me has never waivered...

My view of the world is too,,impacted by my experience of surrender. Compromise can only be executed when one believes they have something to lose. That was no longer the case for me. There was nothing left and when I look at the battles that wage among our kind throughout the world,,I often look to surrender as the means for change. I pray that some party,,any party get the gift of surrender and seek humbly for a new direction.

What are your experiences with this act of courage?

Lenny