Geoff was an old-time AA member who was meeting Paul, a new sponsee. An AA friend had suggested they would be a good fit.
Paul was a senior executive and thought it appropriate to interview Geoff at his office to see if he would be suitable. Geoff was amused and intrigued to be interviewed by a potential sponsee to assess his suitability.
Paul, the new sponsee, finally said, “Okay, I think we are a good fit. I cannot wait to start to work under your tutelage.”
“Whoa,” replied Geoff. I’m not sure I want to be considered a teacher.”
“I get it; you are a guide.”
“Sorry, but I am not sure I give guidance.”
“Then what the heck are you?” Paul demanded.
Geoff paused. He had not thought about the matter with the precision Paul demanded.
After a moment, he replied, “Good question. I think I am a scout. A wagon master leading a wagon train across the prairies sends a scout ahead of the wagon train. The scout comes back to tell him what he found. Then, the wagon master makes a decision.
“I have ridden ahead in sobriety and have come back to tell you what I found ahead. Let’s say you want to pursue a path. I might share that I have gone down that trail, and it looks good at the beginning but becomes brutal beyond your line of sight. Or you might think something is an arduous path, and I might agree it looks hard, but tell you that I tried it and found suitable terrain around the corner.
“But I am only telling you what I found. I don’t guide or teach. I am only a small distance ahead of you on the spiritual path. I will offer you my experience and observations. The rest is yours.”
Paul liked the metaphor and Geoff had a new sponsee.
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Right on! All I can offer a new person is my experience, strength and hope. That experience comes from my relative ‘lead’ on the sobriety journey. To believe that I am a teacher or preacher, an expert on what route to take, is in my opinion, a recipe for disaster. It’s been my experience that most alcoholics don’t like to have a path dictated to them as the ‘only route’ to travel but do like to hear about the possible scenery and the challenges that we encountered so they can pick the best road for them.
This was a great addition to the blog, thanks Darryl