It may feel like the laws of the universe have ceased to exist once you have a month or two of sobriety under your belt after a lifetime of drinking. Be warned though, although it may seem like a brave new world to you, the rest of the world goes on as if nothing has changed.
A forty-one year old Las Vegas resident working through AA's Step 9 recently found this out the hard way. Click here to read the whole story in the Las Vegas Weekly. William Nottingham Beebe found sobriety "sobering" when he learned that just because he's ready to make amends doesn't mean the victim he allegedly raped in college is as ready to forgive him!
Click the "Read More" to see the rest of the commentary
"In October, 1984," he wrote, "I harmed you." He invited Seccuro to contact him "anywhere, at any time, with anyone," and included a business card. "My prayer," he wrote, "is that you be free and happy in your life."
He sent the above message on vanilla scented paper of all things, nothing like trying to soften a rape confession with a little aromatherapy! Anyone who has worked the steps knows that you have to honestly work them to get anything out of them, but it doesn't hurt to use a little common sense either. Even if this heinous act he committed over twenty years ago was a principal source of many of his problems, the Big Book tells those working through the steps to avoid carrying through with actions that may "when to do so would injure them or others". It doesn't take a lot of cognitive power to figure out that writing vanilla scented "I'm sorry I raped you" greeting cards would bring a world of pain to all involved.
One of my friends says I am being a little harsh on the guy, who he says was just trying to work his program. I disagree, most of us as alcoholics and addicts have gone through our lives hurting others with our selfish and often mindless behavior. When we finally decide to reverse this course and discover a new way of life, we should realize that the laws of the universe have not been suspended just because we have decided to get sober.
Beebe has been arrested and faces life imprisonment and his victim is left wondering why this idiot opened wounds long healed.
Thoughts anybody?
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just in the wrong way. I dont see why you should work the steps at all if you are going to continue to lie to yourself and others.
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