"A sponsor is not necessarily a friend, but may be someone in whom we confide. We can share things with our sponsor that we might not be comfortable sharing in a meeting."
IP No. 11, "Sponsorship, Revised"
We've asked someone to sponsor us, and the reasons we have for asking that particular person are as many as the grains of sand on a beach. Perhaps we heard them share at a speaker meeting and thought they were funny or inspiring. Perhaps we thought they had a great car and we would get one by working the same program they work. Or maybe we live in a small town and they were the only person who had the time available to help.
Whatever our initial reasons for getting the sponsor we have, we're sure to find that our reasons for keeping them are quite different. Suddenly they'll amaze us with some stunning insight, making us wonder whether they've been sneaking peeks at our Fourth Step. Or maybe we're going through some sort of life crisis, and their experience with the same problem helps us in ways we never dreamed possible. We call them in pain, and they come up with a special combination of caring words that provide genuine comfort.
None of these remarkable feats on the part of our sponsor are mere coincidence. They've simply walked the same path before us. A Higher Power has placed that one special person in our lives, and we are grateful for their presence.
Just for today: I will appreciate that one special person in my life my sponsor.
It's always been my experience that sharing with my Sponsor breaks down the complexity of any situation that I might be going through. His words seem to shrink the magnanimity with which I imagine my problem situation, bringing it back to it's real size. Everything becomes simpler for me to just follow. I end up adding something more to my recovery toolbox as a result. What a blessing it is to have a fellow-member who is non-judgmental, who invests his time and energy for me selflessly whenever I need his guidance, and who accepts me as I am and loves me for who I am, unconditionally. I'm grateful that my Higher Power has blessed my recovery with a loving, caring and compassionate Sponsor.
__________________
"If we do an honest examination of exactly what we are giving, we are better able to evaluate the results we are getting."Chapter 10 - Emotional Pain - NA Way of Life.