Comments on: Carrying The Message http://www.gatehouseacademy.com/blog/2007/11/12/carrying-the-message/ Drug rehab blog from Gatehouse Academy. Gatehouse is a long term drug rehab and alcohol rehab and extended care treatment center for young adults offer the opportunity for young adults age 17-25 to recover from their dependencies. Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:47:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Anonymous http://www.gatehouseacademy.com/blog/2007/11/12/carrying-the-message/#comment-184 Anonymous Fri, 18 Jan 2008 14:56:45 +0000 http://www.gatehouseacademy.com/blog/?p=31#comment-184 <p>So theres this riddle that through my expirience in AA I have come to understand and love. I feel it truly applies to this topic so HERE WE GO:</p> <p>This guy is walking down the beach, and as cliche as it sounds he trips and falls over a lantern. Surprised and curious the man picks it up, and begins to dust the sand off to see what sort of hidden treasure he's found. And...BOOM! A genie appears, and says "Alright bud, you've got one wish and one wish only. What do you desire?" The man replies that he wishes to see the difference between heaven and hell. So POOF! Suddenly the man is in hell, and before him are millions of people sitting at a table filled with delicious looking food. However, in order to eat the people must eat with 5 foot long chop sticks. Each person is struggling for food, fighting, and basically leaves starving and even more miserable. "Ok, now lets see heaven." says the guy. And BANG! Suddenly he's in heaven, and its pretty much the same deal. Millions of people sitting in front of a dinner table with the most amazing dinner in front of them. Here they are also forced to eat with 5 foot long chop sticks but each person leaves stuffed and serene. Smiling the guy is transported back to the beach, and continues along his walk.</p> <p>So the riddle is: Whats the difference between heaven and hell?</p> <p>Ready for the answer?</p> <p>Sure?</p> <p>Ok: The difference between heaven and hell, is that in heaven people are feeding each other. This is the best way I can describe the feeling I get when carrying the message. If I help someone else, I help myself. Its hard to explain but the best way to explain it is simply that I get a feeling of self-worth. I realize that I have something to offer, a purpose if you will. And for me thats huge, for I've spent my life singing along to songs I never had enough courage to write. Totally insecure, felt alone, and for lack of a better word, like a piece of shit.</p> <p>So carrying the message = Totally Righteous!</p> So theres this riddle that through my expirience in AA I have come to understand and love. I feel it truly applies to this topic so HERE WE GO:

This guy is walking down the beach, and as cliche as it sounds he trips and falls over a lantern. Surprised and curious the man picks it up, and begins to dust the sand off to see what sort of hidden treasure he’s found. And…BOOM! A genie appears, and says “Alright bud, you’ve got one wish and one wish only. What do you desire?” The man replies that he wishes to see the difference between heaven and hell. So POOF! Suddenly the man is in hell, and before him are millions of people sitting at a table filled with delicious looking food. However, in order to eat the people must eat with 5 foot long chop sticks. Each person is struggling for food, fighting, and basically leaves starving and even more miserable. “Ok, now lets see heaven.” says the guy. And BANG! Suddenly he’s in heaven, and its pretty much the same deal. Millions of people sitting in front of a dinner table with the most amazing dinner in front of them. Here they are also forced to eat with 5 foot long chop sticks but each person leaves stuffed and serene. Smiling the guy is transported back to the beach, and continues along his walk.

So the riddle is: Whats the difference between heaven and hell?

Ready for the answer?

Sure?

Ok: The difference between heaven and hell, is that in heaven people are feeding each other. This is the best way I can describe the feeling I get when carrying the message. If I help someone else, I help myself. Its hard to explain but the best way to explain it is simply that I get a feeling of self-worth. I realize that I have something to offer, a purpose if you will. And for me thats huge, for I’ve spent my life singing along to songs I never had enough courage to write. Totally insecure, felt alone, and for lack of a better word, like a piece of shit.

So carrying the message = Totally Righteous!

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.gatehouseacademy.com/blog/2007/11/12/carrying-the-message/#comment-183 Anonymous Fri, 18 Jan 2008 13:27:05 +0000 http://www.gatehouseacademy.com/blog/?p=31#comment-183 <p>For me carrying the message, that was so freely given to me, is one of the most important parts of my sobriety. Not only am I helping someone out but I am also reinforcing my own sobriety. I have had a really good chance to put this into my program here at Gatehouse. Carrying the message to other alcoholics has helped me so much with my program, that it is an essential part of my program.</p> For me carrying the message, that was so freely given to me, is one of the most important parts of my sobriety. Not only am I helping someone out but I am also reinforcing my own sobriety. I have had a really good chance to put this into my program here at Gatehouse. Carrying the message to other alcoholics has helped me so much with my program, that it is an essential part of my program.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.gatehouseacademy.com/blog/2007/11/12/carrying-the-message/#comment-182 Anonymous Tue, 08 Jan 2008 14:15:08 +0000 http://www.gatehouseacademy.com/blog/?p=31#comment-182 <p>I believe that it is so important for people that are in recovery to share thier stories. You might think nobody is listening, but one day your story could change someone else's life. I love the inspiration here at gatehouse. It is an amazing place for a young person to be able to come to. The employees carry the message to help these young adults get through thier first year of recovery.</p> I believe that it is so important for people that are in recovery to share thier stories. You might think nobody is listening, but one day your story could change someone else’s life. I love the inspiration here at gatehouse. It is an amazing place for a young person to be able to come to. The employees carry the message to help these young adults get through thier first year of recovery.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.gatehouseacademy.com/blog/2007/11/12/carrying-the-message/#comment-179 Anonymous Thu, 27 Dec 2007 15:33:53 +0000 http://www.gatehouseacademy.com/blog/?p=31#comment-179 <p>Twenty-three years ago, two men took the time to carry the AA message to me. I still practice what these men taught me. Every day I try to pass on what they gave to me so freely. It is the least I can do for the many gifts I have received by being in recovery.</p> Twenty-three years ago, two men took the time to carry the AA message to me. I still practice what these men taught me. Every day I try to pass on what they gave to me so freely. It is the least I can do for the many gifts I have received by being in recovery.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.gatehouseacademy.com/blog/2007/11/12/carrying-the-message/#comment-181 Anonymous Thu, 13 Dec 2007 12:34:49 +0000 http://www.gatehouseacademy.com/blog/?p=31#comment-181 <p>Early on my sponsor reminded me that when I am carrying the message to another alcoholic, I need him as much as he needs me. He may not make it this time, but by humbly giving of myself without pretense and on equal footing, the spiritual message of AA is communicated in ways that words fall short of describing. The hope that God uses me to plant a seed in others was all I needed to get through the discouraging times when watching chronic relapsers go back to insanity.</p> Early on my sponsor reminded me that when I am carrying the message to another alcoholic, I need him as much as he needs me. He may not make it this time, but by humbly giving of myself without pretense and on equal footing, the spiritual message of AA is communicated in ways that words fall short of describing. The hope that God uses me to plant a seed in others was all I needed to get through the discouraging times when watching chronic relapsers go back to insanity.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.gatehouseacademy.com/blog/2007/11/12/carrying-the-message/#comment-180 Anonymous Thu, 13 Dec 2007 09:07:15 +0000 http://www.gatehouseacademy.com/blog/?p=31#comment-180 <p>"It is the great paradox of A.A. that we know we can seldom keep the precious gift of sobriety unless we give it away." Twelve and Twelve page 151.</p> <p> Carrying the message is the spirit of the program. When I turn my self to help another suffering alcoholic I find the volume on my own problems gets turned down, and I see the value that my personal experiences hold for someone else. After all, when I was active in my disease, thinking about me and my own problems never really worked, since they stem from just that, ALWAYS thinking about myself ALL THE TIME; selfishness and self-centeredness ARE my problems. It’s a great feeling to have something worthwhile enough to pass on to someone else. I also believe it is the natural course of action if someone has had that complete personality change that is sufficient enough to help them recover from alcoholism. I can honestly say that seeing the lights turn on in someone else and seeing them “all lit up”, showing someone else how to have that experience is one of the best, maybe the best feeling I know.</p> “It is the great paradox of A.A. that we know we can seldom keep the precious gift of sobriety unless we give it away.” Twelve and Twelve page 151.

Carrying the message is the spirit of the program. When I turn my self to help another suffering alcoholic I find the volume on my own problems gets turned down, and I see the value that my personal experiences hold for someone else. After all, when I was active in my disease, thinking about me and my own problems never really worked, since they stem from just that, ALWAYS thinking about myself ALL THE TIME; selfishness and self-centeredness ARE my problems. It’s a great feeling to have something worthwhile enough to pass on to someone else. I also believe it is the natural course of action if someone has had that complete personality change that is sufficient enough to help them recover from alcoholism. I can honestly say that seeing the lights turn on in someone else and seeing them “all lit up”, showing someone else how to have that experience is one of the best, maybe the best feeling I know.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.gatehouseacademy.com/blog/2007/11/12/carrying-the-message/#comment-178 Anonymous Wed, 12 Dec 2007 12:45:11 +0000 http://www.gatehouseacademy.com/blog/?p=31#comment-178 <p>I never believed that I could get sober and live a productive life. I thought I would just eventually die with drugs and alcohol by my side. When I first came into these rooms I saw alot of smiling faces, I thought to myself "How is it possible if these people are like me for them to be happy with out drugs and alcohol?". During the first few months of my early recovery i discovered that these people had found fellowship and had found out that they didn't have to be alone in their struggles. That whatever problems they may currently be facing have been faced and solved by those who came before them in this program. And that's what I found, that I was not alone, that I really wasn't that different, that those who have come before me in this program have encountered all the same problems that I have and that they are more than willing to help me with them. Today I try to return the favor that I was given when i first came into these rooms and provide help for those that are new to these struggles.</p> I never believed that I could get sober and live a productive life. I thought I would just eventually die with drugs and alcohol by my side. When I first came into these rooms I saw alot of smiling faces, I thought to myself “How is it possible if these people are like me for them to be happy with out drugs and alcohol?”. During the first few months of my early recovery i discovered that these people had found fellowship and had found out that they didn’t have to be alone in their struggles. That whatever problems they may currently be facing have been faced and solved by those who came before them in this program. And that’s what I found, that I was not alone, that I really wasn’t that different, that those who have come before me in this program have encountered all the same problems that I have and that they are more than willing to help me with them. Today I try to return the favor that I was given when i first came into these rooms and provide help for those that are new to these struggles.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.gatehouseacademy.com/blog/2007/11/12/carrying-the-message/#comment-177 Anonymous Wed, 12 Dec 2007 11:31:28 +0000 http://www.gatehouseacademy.com/blog/?p=31#comment-177 <p>I love that quote from the article:<br /> "I can’t remember what they were but they weren’t aspirin".<br /> My using was like that too. </p> <p>I really love working in the recovery field. Keeps me on my toes and gets me out of myself.</p> I love that quote from the article:
“I can’t remember what they were but they weren’t aspirin”.
My using was like that too.

I really love working in the recovery field. Keeps me on my toes and gets me out of myself.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.gatehouseacademy.com/blog/2007/11/12/carrying-the-message/#comment-176 Anonymous Tue, 11 Dec 2007 16:13:38 +0000 http://www.gatehouseacademy.com/blog/?p=31#comment-176 <p>Nothing keeps me sober like working with another alcoholic. No matter what's going on in my world, carrying the message puts everything in perspective. There are so many of us who are alive and shouldn't be . . .</p> Nothing keeps me sober like working with another alcoholic. No matter what’s going on in my world, carrying the message puts everything in perspective. There are so many of us who are alive and shouldn’t be . . .

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.gatehouseacademy.com/blog/2007/11/12/carrying-the-message/#comment-175 Anonymous Tue, 11 Dec 2007 14:44:04 +0000 http://www.gatehouseacademy.com/blog/?p=31#comment-175 <p>I have been in recovery from Alcoholism, Drug Addiction and Codependency for over 26 years and have been in the wonderful position of sponsoring many women in working the 12 Steps of recovery. This experience has definitely move me along my spiritual path. Carrying the message is really a very self-interested thing to do. We always gain from passing on what we have received. </p> <p>Recovery coaching is an additional venue for people in a recovery process to access real-time support.</p> <p>I have also seen wonderful progress working as a Recovery and Life Coach. It's another way to give back in a more formal way. While very different from sponsorship, Coaching works well to enhance communications, sobriety, relationships and goal setting. </p> <p>Recovery is an eclectic prospect. As an old friend says, "We never know who Higher Power will be dressed up as today"</p> <p>Addiction is not cured by the treatment process. Treatment provides the missing information and structure that can propel an addict/alcoholic into another dimension of living never dreamed of. I am grateful for the people that went before me to pave the path with wisdom, failures and successes.</p> I have been in recovery from Alcoholism, Drug Addiction and Codependency for over 26 years and have been in the wonderful position of sponsoring many women in working the 12 Steps of recovery. This experience has definitely move me along my spiritual path. Carrying the message is really a very self-interested thing to do. We always gain from passing on what we have received.

Recovery coaching is an additional venue for people in a recovery process to access real-time support.

I have also seen wonderful progress working as a Recovery and Life Coach. It’s another way to give back in a more formal way. While very different from sponsorship, Coaching works well to enhance communications, sobriety, relationships and goal setting.

Recovery is an eclectic prospect. As an old friend says, “We never know who Higher Power will be dressed up as today”

Addiction is not cured by the treatment process. Treatment provides the missing information and structure that can propel an addict/alcoholic into another dimension of living never dreamed of. I am grateful for the people that went before me to pave the path with wisdom, failures and successes.

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