This morning I was once again experiencing writer’s block as I tried to write my Editor’s Notes. This happens occasionally, and when it does, I meditate and turn it over to God to see what He/She comes up with. I am never disappointed. This time, a newspaper article from the December 15, 2005 San Francisco Chronicle fell out of the stack of papers I was holding and landed in front of me on my desk. It was in the form of an e-mail and the sender had added a sentence. It was this sentence that jumped out at me as if it were alive. I have reprinted the short article here…
It is entitled “A Whale of a Story”.
“A female humpback whale had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines. She was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused her to struggle to stay afloat. She also had hundreds of yards of line rope wrapped around her body, her tail, her torso, and had a line tugging in her mouth. A fisherman spotted her just east of the Farralone Islands (outside the Golden Gate) and radioed an environmental group for help. Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was so bad off, the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her. A very dangerous proposition.. One slap of the tail could kill a rescuer.”
“They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed her. When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous circles. She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time and nudged them, pushed them gently around – she thanked them. Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives. The guy who cut the rope out of her mouth says her eye was following him the whole time, and he will never be the same.”
And the last sentence read: “May you and all those you love, be so blessed and fortunate to be surrounded by people who will help you get untangled from the things that are binding you.”
Wow! I was suddenly reminded of the many friends, acquaintances, and even strangers who had helped me untangle myself from problems I have faced. Those problems that often seem to challenge my sobriety. Those problems that I obsess over until they entangle me so completely I forget about everything and everyone around me and selfishly think only of myself.
So, today, I reflect on those who have helped me so very much. Many people come to mind, but at the top of the list is a very special person. My wife, who has used her curved knife to help free me from the tangles of life. She has gently untied the knots and pulled the ropes from around me to set me free. And there are so many others of you. I could fill the pages of this newsletter with your names and your deeds. I know many of you share that same bond with a soulmate.
I am so glad that God continues to put people in my life who not only help me untangle myself, but who need untangling themselves. As I am allowed to help others, I have experiences I will never forget and for which I will never be the same.
The Twelfth Step puts it all into perspective for me. When I start feeling sorry for myself, it is time to reach out and help someone else.
Blessings to you all, and thanks for letting me share!
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