Back in the day when I was a newcomer, I looked at the old timers and wished I had their quality of sobriety automatically granted to me.
It’s fun to think something will just be handed over without any effort.
If only the world worked that way.
It didn’t occur to me that their level of wisdom and serenity was a byproduct of prolonged recovery, and a life devoted to service rendered with love.
I wanted all the promises to automatically and quickly happen without the inconvenience of actually showing up or talking to anybody.
If only it was that easy.
I wanted the clarity that comes with time and experience, without having to open up to a sponsor. Without being a sponsor, or accumulating decades of time.
If only it was that convenient.
I wanted to magically be transformed into an accomplished public speaker without the hassle of having to actually get up in front of people and figuring out what to say.
If only that was the case.
One of my Journalism professors said something profound:
“The only way to become a good writer is to write.”
In case you haven’t noticed, one of my major character defects is sloth.
…Which is a polite way of saying I can be a lazy slob.
Anyway,
while I was busy wishing for the quick fix, it never occurred to me that it’s all about the journey, not the destination.
I would have seriously shortchanged myself by leapfrogging to instant results.
