Hello All.
        Just thought I would fill you in on my experience tonight.
        I was asked by a friend of mine if I would share my E.S.&H
        with a group of newcomers at a Detox Center.  As usual, I 
        said ok and went to this meeting.  I went to this meeting
        and shared for a good part of the meeting and about the 
        second half of the meeting a guy who had less than 24 hours
        rolled in, in a wheel chair and hospital gown.  He as many
        who are under the infulence do, had a hard time keeping his
        mouth closed until it was his turn to speak.  
        But I managed to keep things in perspective and had to think
        to myself, thank God I am not where you are right now.
        I was able to keep my thoughts on why I was there and not on
        who was there but not really all there.  I had three guys 
        come up to me after the meeting and say "thanks we really got
        alot out of what you said". Funny thing about it is that
        one of the guys who works at this detox was a patient at a local 
        treatment center that I shared at the first time I ever did
        an H&I meeting.  It was a flash back for him and a wonderful 
        memory for me.  We laughed about it (as we can now) and talked
        for a few minutes about the contrasts of our lives.
        If I can make any suggestion to those of you who are looking 
        forward to doing service work in the program, I would suggest
        Sharing and chairing H & I meetings.  It has been the most 
        rewarding experience in recovery that I have had.  Yes I have
        done many of other things too... like Convention Committe, GSR
        Tresurer, Literature Chair, Meeting Chair, ect.ect.ect.........
        I have found the biggest rewards come from a newcommer who
        for the first time in their life says to me, "you know, I can relate
        and I understand exactly what you were saying when you 
aid.........."
        and I can tell that they are serious when they say it.
        H & I meetings are great for anyone but I found them to be even more  
       helpful to me when I was still less than two years clean.  It seemed
        to put things in better perspective.  Try it, Youl Like it.
                                                TTYL
                                                   Marty
        
        
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