Open Meeting
Haibun
Standing room only in the community room of a local church on a Friday night. A blonde in knee-high riding boots checks Facebook. The co-chair runs the business portion of the Open AA meeting. A smiling giant invites us to fill the last two chairs — in the first row.
The guest speaker takes the podium.
He wears a white, bushy mustache that hangs inches off his face. His eyes shine with a serenity I’ve seen on too few. He shares his story, which inspired me in two ways.
First, he defines resentment as a “re-experiencing of that which hurts us.” I understand that all too well. Second, the depth in which he needed to make his fourth step — a “fearless and searching moral inventory.”
He had to look at his past, but he had to do his third step — “make a decision to turn our will and life over to the care of God as we understand him” — before he did.
I need to do the same — and in the same order.
shifting in their chairs
walking through cigarette smoke
on our way out
more by FRANK J. TASSONE
photograph by Jacob Owens
first published in Image Curve, February 9, 2017
UPDATE! for dVerse Poets Haibun Monday: Faith. Pubtended by Mish
Share the love. Spread the haikai:
Categories: haiku community
Frank J. Tassone 
This is a wonderful story… maybe the sharing of stories is what’s help us in doing it (in the right order)
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I love the fine detail of your prose, Frank, especially the blonde in knee-high riding boots and the smiling giant with the ‘white, bushy mustache that hangs inches off his face’. I like his definition of resentment; that’s the thing I will take away from your anecdote.
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Thanks, Kim! 🙂
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Seeing eyes shine with serenity is very comforting. Your haibun reminded me that our eyes need to shine that way for others.
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I appreciate your candidness, the way you set the scene so vividly for us and the sharing of your thoughts. This made me pause and ponder…”“fearless and searching moral inventory”….something we all need to do from time to time.
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Putting faith in action is always the challenge. I love the haiku at the end.
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I used to attend AA meetings with my dad when I was in high school, then later volunteered to drive folks who didn’t have rides to meetings. There is so much humble wisdom at those meetings. 🙏🏽
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Indeed. Thanks for sharing! 😉
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You paint an amazing picture of the man at the AA meeting and the depth of his faith – well done!
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Thank you!
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A great post Frank! You explained it so well, I could feel some of what you were experiencing. So glad you found your faith in yourself and in God.
Dwight
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I’m glad you took that fourth step Frank. The first three are important, but won’t take you nearly as far as the fourth. Good word!
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Thanks, Walter. The fifth step is when the fun begins! 😆
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Alright! Don’t stop on that one either
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😆
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Beautiful review on how to restore faith. Every step is important with treasures for confidence and the journey never truly ends.
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Love the vivid imagery. Hard to do in seventeen syllables.
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The key is paying attention, juxtaposing the images (whose gap leads to insight), and practice.
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I do believe that the sharing of our stories will touch others. The AA is an amazing organisation. Thank you for sharing this.
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The beauty of Open Meetings is that even those not of that fellowship can benefit from the wisdom of AA “old-timers”—as I benefitted that night!
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A beautiful haibun Frank, I love all the detail, especially the last two remaining chairs in the front row. Anyone who attends has already taken a massive step to be there. ‘He had to look at his past, but he had to do his third step — “make a decision to turn our will and life over to the care of God as we understand him” — before he did.’ It is all about faith and surrender to a new way of being, the serenity shining from your eyes xxx
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Thanks, Xenia! 😀
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You are very welcome Frank! :o)
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It always amazes me how a chance speaker at a community event can really make you think about your life. That’s been happening to me a lot lately too.
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LoVE A FaitH
CuRinG
Addiction
to
less
than MoVinG
CoNNecTinG CReaTiNG..:)
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