A number of years ago on a New years’ eve,my treasured friend and I cancelled our plans of ushering  the New year from the comfort of our favorite resort  and instead considered it a good idea to just relax at home.I love flowers,so I filled the house with the best  I could get thus creating a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere.We were listening to music just before going out for dinner when his cellphone rang and I could hear a female’s voice on the other side though the conversation did not last long.’I will be right back’ and with those few words he left.O.K…the torrential thoughts of a woman…. ,I have the sort of mind  that goes on overdrive when I choose to and within minutes I had compiled an array of possibilities with my thoughts…talk of the power of imagination. I didn’t want to loose control of myself, we had a relatively safe relationship but surely on a New Year’s eve not ignoring the fact that my friend is the one who had originally suggested change of our holiday plans.One,two,three ,four hours passed and it was obvious I was meant to welcome my New year in my own style.’ I was woken up by the all familiar greetings of a period like this ‘Happy New Year’. It was approaching 2am in the morning.By this time I had already made the popular resolutions we all make at the dawn of a new era…I will do all it takes not to be affected emotionally by deeds of another even if this another is my dream come true...how easy that sounds we all know but how practical is it and for how long?’Oh,that was Karen who called’ he said and waited for my reaction.Karen was an old time friend of his and in the course of our disclosures of the close friends we both of us and at different times had encountered,Karen had featured very strongly.’And?’ That’s all I could manage to ask.

Karen had wanted my friend to talk to his brother, Raymond,  an Architect by profession  who was running a successful architectural firm in town.Raymond had started drinking heavily a while ago but somehow he had managed to quit drinking and had been sober for a year..On this day Raymond had appeared in his sister’s house,very very drunk and disrupted an ongoing party.My friend has been sober for 16years and I gathered that he is a ‘sponsor’ ( a term they use in AA circles.) to Raymond.I still had my own small doubts about this incident until years later when I came across the story of the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous—William Wilson known as Bill  in AA.

Bill grew up in a serious alcoholic family.He had a successful career and everything seemed to fit in very well until he developed   drinking problems.His life became so unmanageable he at one time found himself living on charity in his parents  in-laws’ house.During this time,Bill was in and out of hospital for treatments of his addiction and one time during this period  he met and shared about his drinking problems  with another alcoholic . Bill agreed to accompany the friend for a group meeting for those who had quit or wanted to quit the drinking.By what some would call a miracle Bill was able to stop drinking.He started his life all over again.One day while on a business trip and staying in his familiar hotel,he saw the bar corner and he got tempted to get to that corner and maybe have one for the road and by coincidence a thought flashed in his mind that maybe if he shared with another alcoholic he might remain sober.He found Dr. Robert Smith(Bob) who was also an alcoholic and soon afterwards Bob quit drinking.From their meeting and sharing AA(ALCOHOLIC ANONYMOUS) was formed.Bill was later to say ‘Because of our kinship of suffering our channels of contact have always been charged with the language of the heart’  AA has transformed the lives of millions of people around the world.

Sharing with others  especially those of the same mind is good.Bill and Bob had their various and seemingly different issues caused by the effects of their addictions, but whichever way they each looked at it,they were hurting,they were not at peace.

Whatever issues we maybe encountering,the results are the same, lack of joy and peace–some kind of pain.We share a world and we share a divine connection in this world.

in shared efforts,

Lydia.