Happy Dennis – getting happier (or madder) by the minute!

Some time ago we were sent the following by a member from the Ealing area - a letter from the aforementioned 'Happy Dennis' addressed to the archivist. The two documents referred to in this correspondence simply contain more of the same (so we won't inflict them on you). We strongly advise the reader to have a sick bag readily to hand. You're going to need it!

“Dear All, I pray that whoever reads this, is happy, healthy, joyous and free, and enjoying all the beauty of this God given wonderful sober life.

I was recently asked by the AA Archivist for our area, to write something about my own time in AA; and also to write something about how I have seen AA develop, in the Ealing area in that time.

I therefore attach two documents regarding this. I pray that they help in some way, to help beautiful life-saving lovely AA, to happily and healthily spiritually grow and glow, not only in Ealing but elsewhere, everywhere.

Please remember that all these words are written by a man who seventeen years ago, was killing himself, not only with alcohol, but by his stupid, silly, selfish, self-centred, arrogant, agnostic, lustful, hedonistic approach to life.

I was a know all, who actually knew nothing, who over 17 years ago turned up at an AA meeting, completely and utterly beaten. In my opinion, I was the lowest of the low.

I met people at my first meeting, who knew that AA is a spiritual programme of recovery; who stressed 'the spiritual feature freely', as mentioned on Page 93 of the Big Book; who passed on to me simple spiritual ideas, that they were doing themselves, and that I started to put into practice that very first night.

Ideas that I thought strange, but I now realise that they were all taken from the book Alcoholics Anonymous, our wonderful Big Book, the God inspired spiritually healing book, that is the cornerstone of our fantastic fellowship, and guess what, they all worked.

Silly, silly, stupid me, but now a very humble and grateful me, has been doing these simple humble spiritual suggestions since that first day, and I have not had or wanted a drink in that period, thank God.

Not only have I been sober all that time, but I am very glad to say that because of lovely God, AA, sponsorship, steps and service, I have continued to grow spiritually each day, as mentioned in Step 11, by daily improving my spiritual connection, with a God of my own concept. It has been without a doubt the best most beautiful and wonderful period of my life.

I am not a religious person, but I know that a Higher Power of my own concept does exists. The world calls this power God, and the whole purpose of the Big Book, is to help the newcomer find such a connection.

It say this on page 45, "Our human resources as marshalled by the will, were not sufficient, they failed utterly.

Lack of Power that was our dilemma. We had to find a power by which we could live, and it had to be a Power greater than ourselves. Obviously. But where and how were we to find this Power?

Well, that's exactly what this book is about. Its main object is to enable you to find a Power greater than yourself which will solve your problem."

AA makes this so very, very simple to accept and understand. At my first meeting, I met people who knew what I had to do, to keep and stay sober. As well as them, I also had this tough teacher called pain. This made me sit up and take notice, and put into practice the very simple and very, very effective spiritual ideas being presented.

I am so very, very grateful, not only for my sobriety, but for the beautiful spiritual experience that the Big Book promises; by completing our 12 step, ego deflating, spiritual programme of action.

It is there for all of us, if we are humble, grateful and honest enough to go through with the simple spiritual programme of recovery. Pain certainly made me very teachable and humble, and gave me the willingness to pick up the spiritual tools of recovery.

I certainly was a silly, stupid self-centred, know-it-all idiot when I arrived, some people may say I still am, that is their right, but I now know that all my pain was necessary, for it made me listen and learn,and then put into practice the simple, but very, very effective spiritual programme of AA.

Believe me no one despised myself more than myself when I arrived, but thanks to the love of God, and the beauty of the AA spiritual programme of recovery, I have been allowed to change; and to have and enjoy the spiritual awakening promised in the Big Book.

I would also like to think that I am now not so silly, stupid or self-centred, and because of AA, I am now able to say that I am not a body with a spirit, but a spirit with a body, a body that the world calls Dennis. This is a great fantastic, wonderful gift or thing to know.

I pray that the attached, answers some, if not all the questions asked, and leads to even more wonderful growth in AA, all so the beautiful newcomer can obtain the fantastic beautiful sober spiritual life on offer.

This beautiful gift that I have been so freely given by lovely God and the beauty of AA and its wonderful members, I must daily give away in my every thought, word and deed, to everyone I meet, greet, or think about, in my every thought, word and action.

It is a joy to do it, and I do it with joy, humility, gratitude, strength, purity, clarity, understanding, brightness, enthusiasm, and confidence in my ever loving heart; health, enlightenment, knowledge, youth, beauty, fitness, tidiness, cleanliness, energy, vitality, suppleness and discipline, in my body, and love, gratitude, wisdom, purity, clearness, wellness, sincerity, honesty and humility in my spirit, all wonderful qualities given to me by my lovely God, and all beautiful attributes, given to me to help me help the wonderful newcomer.

Thank you lovely God, I am so very grateful, and so very, very appreciative of the new sober life you have given me, and also for the spiritual gifts and understanding, that you have allowed me to receive and be aware of.

I am also so very grateful,for the beautiful sober, spiritual, life, available to us all, if we are humble enough and honest enough, 'to pick up the simple kit of spiritual tools laid at our feet.' (Page 25 of the Big Book.)

Thank you lovely God, thank you lovely tremendous, brilliant, wonderful AA. Mere words can never ever express my gratitude to you lovely God, and to lovely wonderful, beautiful AA.

Thanks for reading this, whoever does, is in my prayers, as I am sure I am in theirs, in fact the whole world is in my prayers these days.

May we also pray that lovely AA does happily and healthily spiritually grow and glow, all to help the newcomer, always realising that we were all at one time newcomers, and remembering, how beautifully and wonderfully we were received. God bless all, your all always in my prayers, from a very, very grateful, humble, happy, healthy, joyous and free, Dennis. Thanks God, I love you lots, lots of love,XXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

PS Are we not blessed that AA was conceived in our lifetime. Alcoholism has been a problem throughout the ages, and yet only since 1935, has there been an effective answer to the problem; one that not only leads to sobriety, but includes a beautiful connection to God, the 'promises,' and the spiritual awakening mentioned in step 12.

Thank you lovely God, all I can say in gratitude, is Wow,Wow, Wow, a million, billion, trillion Wows and more. Thanks we are all so very, very grateful, lots of love from all of us. Fantastic, Fabulous, Happy, Joyous & Free, Friday 22 March 2013”

Comment: He's barking!

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

PS Our thanks (?) to the member who sent us this information