A wonderful gift

Before my home group meeting last night, my sponsor gave me a belated birthday gift.  We hadn't gotten together over the last couple of weeks for one reason or another.  So last night, before our study hour, I opened my gift.  It was a set of Father John Doe's Golden Books.

Father John Doe wrote his fourteen Golden Books back in the 1940's and 50's and early 60's. They are still being read and used by those in recovery programs today.  Here is the series:
1947 Spiritual Side
1948 Tolerance
1949 Attitudes
1950 Action
1951 Happiness
1952 Excuses
1953 Sponsorship
1954 Principles
1955 Resentments
1957 Decisions
1960 Passion
1963 Sanity
1964 Sanctity
1964 Living

I have read that the three most-published A.A. authors during the course of A.A.’s first sixty years were Bill W., Richmond Walker (who wrote the Twenty-Four Hours a Day book), and Father John Doe who was Ralph Pfau, author of the fourteen Golden Books.

I can't think of a more thoughtful gift.  I love books, and I love reading recovery books.  And I have a deep appreciation for the history of both AA and Al-Anon.  This gift will be treasured as long as I live.

I am going to close this post with a gratitude list for my heart is overflowing with gratitude today.  I'm grateful for:

• The caring shown to me by those in the fellowship.  The love is appreciated and reciprocated.  We were brought together by God and that's pretty powerful.
  
• My home group's decision to change meeting locations. Last night, we had a full kitchen with coffee and hot chocolate, a bathroom, comfortable furniture, and brightly decorated rooms.  We were all giddy with happiness.
• Understanding that my wife doesn't want to attend the funeral of M. today.  She is going to the meeting tonight where she and M. first met.  
• Being alive and of reasonably sound mind and body.  I find life in all its forms much more interesting than death.  My last chapter is still to be written.  
• The sponsor-sponsee relationship.  I am straight up with my sponsor and he with me.  We may differ in opinions on some things, but I trust him without reservation.  That is a powerful thing that I can't say about most people.
  

I'm going to have a day in which I will need God with me.  All I have to do is be quiet in my mind, and He will be there.