In 2008, my husband and I went on a 20 day cruise through the Panama Canal. I was 4 years sober. If you have ever been on a cruise, you know it is open bar 24/7. I was prepared for sober sailing. It was very exciting because we went with two other couples that we loved.
Every minute of every day was filled with some activity. We are history lovers, so this was a huge learning trip about the Panama Canal. Every morning I would run around the top deck with many others staying in shape for all of the eating available on board. Then the activity of the day in port.
And then there was Happy Hour.
I knew from friends here at home that there was an AA meeting on the ship, so I looked on the schedule. Sure enough, there it was at 5pm “Friends of Bill” (for Bill W. Founder of AA) So, as our friends and my husband headed off to Happy Hour upstairs, I headed off to my meeting. Dressed in finery for dinner later.
I loved this meeting. I looked forward to it every day at Happy Hour. So many beautiful people from around the world with various lengths of sobriety. Friends I would keep and stay in touch with by email for years after.
One meeting in particular I will never forget. At this meeting one of their readings was the 11th Step Prayer (The Prayer of St. Francis) and the secretary asked for a volunteer to read it. An older gentleman piped up and said he would. His wife grabbed the sheet for him and held it in her lap. He began reciting it aloud without looking on the paper, just from memory.
Later I would find out that he was blind, had cancer, was on hospice and this was their last trip for him. It was such a profound moment hearing him recite this prayer from memory with such conviction and joy. I cannot hear it now without tearing up and thinking of him, 18 years later.
The Eleventh Step Prayer
“Lord make me an instrument of your peace
Where there is hatred let me sow love
Where there is injury, pardon
Where there is doubt, faith
Where there is despair, hope
Where there is darkness, light
And where there is sadness, joy
O divine master grant that I may
not so much seek to be consoled as to console
to be understood as to understand
To be loved as to love
For it is in giving that we receive
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life
Amen.”
Grateful for one more day of sobriety (7800 days in a row)
Praying today for your peace.
“Do not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Romans 12:2
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