Whenever I am asked to speak at a meeting, I always chair in bare feet. It makes me feel more vulnerable, more grounded, a little more humble. I find this is a good basis for me to be real. Being the lead at a speaker meeting is exactly the opposite of what some people think. If you have never experienced this honor, listen up.
Being singled out to share one’s “story” sounds like a stroke to the ego, until one gets to actually do it. For me, I stand there, (feet naked) and it hits me. I’m in a room full of miracles. I am one of millions on this planet who, by the grace of God, have been given another chance to be a human being. I am a tiny piece of a huge fabric of recovery. This process is decades older than I am and will long outlive me. I am suddenly small, fragile, insignificant in the big picture, and yet deserving of this opportunity somehow.
I believe that when I am asked to participate in someone else’s recovery, it means I am ready. Gratitude takes over and I am again re-amazed at the humility this opportunity produces in me. I think of all the men and women with more “time” than I have, those who have suffered more, done more, helped more . . . I question the process . . . why me? Then I hear one of the voices in my head say . . . “Because someone asked. It’s your turn. This is how it works.” At this point, I realize it’s not the speaker that’s special, it’s the moment.
Hooked
March 27, 2005