Are You Starving? Yesterday morning, Jeff, one of my fellows in my meeting, shared this story. I think it is a powerful illustration of the efficacy of dealing with our addictions in a 12-Step group. In your mind's eye, picture these two scenes. The first one, is a picture of hell. Seated around a table are ten gaunt and starving people. In the middle of that table is a large bowl of porridge, but only five spoons. There weren’t enough spoons for everyone to have one so no one ate. They we’re starving! The next scene is in heaven. Same picture... a table with 10 people sitting around it. Just like the table in hell, there is a large bowl of porridge on the table and only 5 spoons. But, in this scene, there is something strikingly different. These people are happy and well-fed. What’s the difference? In heaven, the people around that table made the decision to use the five spoons to feed each other! Don’t go It alone! Let your fellows feed you! And, in the spirit of Step 12, use your newly gained strength to feed others! This, to me, is the crux of just how 12-step programs work. See if you don’t agree! All through the 12 steps and the Traditions, the pronoun, “WE” is used. You don’t hear, "I admitted that MY life was unmanageable and that I couldn’t handle things on my own. The very first step begins with "WE": "We admitted we were powerless over alcohol/drugs -- that our lives had become unmanageable." The whole program is built on this concept. We are all in the same boat...together. WE are those hungry people around that table. The choice is ours: go it alone and starve, or pick up that damned spoon and feed your brother or sister! There is no room for a lone-wolf mentality in the 12-Steps! And, in the spirit of Step-twelve, you've gotta pick up that spoon and feed your fellows, too! Amen!
