Thank You AA

My friend Mary inspired me to share this today.Yesterday, a group of us students had to go to a MRDD facility to meet some of the clients, so we could come back later and do a teaching presentation for them.  The lady took us to the breakroom and pointed to some tables where some people were sitting and said, "There they are", and turned on her heel and walked away.  We all stood there frozen for a second, and the clients were looking at us a little suspisciously. I started to have feelings of apprehension and negativity, like this is going to go horribly!  These people are never going to trust us or open to us!  Suddenly, I knew exactly what to do.  I kicked into fellowship mode, smiled, made eye contact and  started shaking hands and introducing myself to the cleints.  Big smiles from the clients followed.  Before I got to the second table my fellow classmates followed suit and the next thing you know people were shouting across the room, hey, I want to shake hands!  Within a minute or two everyone was smiling and chatting.  I was very grateful for the rooms of  AA where I learned to do this, and it also took me back to my first days sober.  I remember not even being two weeks sober, and watching the women I was hanging around with circulating around the room, shaking everyone's hand.  Even at meetings where they did not know anyone!  I remember telling "L", I will never be able to do that!  She said, Yes you will, and you will show newcomers what we are showing you today.  Well, obviously, that day came and I was able to practice that principle in all my affairs yesterday and I felt very grateful to be able to give away what had been so freely given to me, even if it was just a smile and a handshake, sometimes it can make all the difference.  It sure did to me, yesterday and on the first day I walked into AA.  Don't you just love it when God gives us exactly what we need, even if we don't know we need it?