I was talking to a client after the 12-step meeting this morning, a man who'd been with us for nearly three months. He was doing well and we had a good conversation about his progress. Later, I realized this was the first time I'd talked this man where he hadn't asked me for something or where he hadn't told me all his problems.
Instead, he shared an experience he'd had with a coworker the day before. The coworker had wanted to go drink all day but this client kept intervening to help him resist. This was a good experience for me; really what our program is all about. When clients first come it's all about me me, me, me. They're always taking their emotional temperature and think that what they're feeling is the most important thing in the world. And this man was no different. He'd come from a life of drinking for many years and only came to us when he was pretty much homeless.
And now, all of a sudden his focus is on helping another alcoholic change his life. This is the essence of what we do. Once we stop being totally focused on ourselves and start thinking about others then we've gone into another phase of sobriety, in my opinion.
This man has received a lot of attention from us over the past six months, more than normal really because he has a big family that likes to frequently check on his progress. To see him finally blossom, and to start carrying the message to others is better than any paycheck.
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