I Know

I have stumbled across some brilliant people in ETA. In fact, I am astonished at the number of people I've talked to recently who know pretty much everything there is to know about pretty much everything. For the most part it is newcomers that are so incredibly knowledgeable, but there have been some with quite a bit of clean and sober time that are ETA Mensa candidates as well. Of course, those with some time haven't worked the steps (at least during this bout of sobriety) with a sponsor. This is probably why their cognitive abilities haven't yet been polluted or diluted.

Those of us who have worked the steps with a sponsor and try to live by the principles of ETA have apparently suffered diminished brain capacity. Still, I've had several of the gifted ones ask me for help in solving their problems and/or guide them on the path of sobriety. They probably ask me these things for purposes of amusement. They certainly don't ask me for suggestions they have any intention of acting upon.

Can't find a job? I suggest you apply for 3 different jobs each day until you secure employment. The smart ones already know this is what they should do. They tell me so. This is often followed up with an hour and 45 minutes of why they can't do so, usually because applying for 3 jobs a day takes too long. When I float up the observation that they might have time to apply for jobs if they spent less time whining, they reply, "I know."

Keep getting put on restriction by the staff of the halfway house? I suggest they acquaint themselves with the rules of the house in which they live and then follow the rules. They all ready know they should do this. They remind me that I told them the same thing the last time they got put on restriction. (Like I failed to remember this?) I marvel at their intelligence.

People at a certain meeting aren't friendly? Find someone else who is sitting alone and talk to them, I suggest. "You are both at an ETA meeting, for crying out loud! You know you have at least one thing in common!!" They reply, "I know." I am so awed by their brilliance I often exclaim, with a little more exuberance than might otherwise be called for, "I don't want you to know. I want you to do!" If I am not their sponsor, they usually say that they will think about it. (The people I sponsor know better than to say that.)

I used to be smart like the gifted ones. Today, I'm dumb enough to take action in order to stay clean and sober. My sincere thanks to the old HP for giving me a case of the stupids.

Have a good and sober day.