Twelve-step work has opened me up to the humanity of all of God’s children, including the gays.
I initially had trouble listening to the gay guy shares, but with time, I was able to overcome my homophobia and to truly empathize with their struggles to stay sober from the kids. You learn in the program how common addictions unite us, making differences in sexual orientation fade away.
I initially struggled as well listening to the angry thin lesbians with the bleached hair but now my heart is open.
I also struggled initially with the severe lack of black men in the program.
I also struggled with accepting the child molesters and predators and rapists and wife beaters into the community, but now I see our common humanity.
I also struggled with the folks who got theoretical in their shares and quoted philosophies and read aloud meditations and gave unsolicited advice in their shares, but now I’ve come to embrace our common humanity.
A friend says: I like hearing personal stories and revelations. Platitudes and lectures disguised as shares leave me cold. Anyone who fancies himself wise, I cannot take seriously.
I heard, “That which comes from the heart touches the heart and that which comes from the head goes over it.” Seems about right to me.
