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Love And Tolerance Is Our Code

MY first lesson in forgiveness, tolerance and understanding came from an unexpected direction - my teenage son. I had found a good sponsor, who guided me through the Steps. “Love and tolerance of others is our code.” (BB p.84) made a strong impression on me. Easier said than done, I thought. But I was willing to give it a try.

At that time, my son had one of his first girlfriends, a fellow student in their sixth-form studies. She was truly beautiful - her parents were wealthy people in Moscow who sent their daughter to England for her education. All was well, until she finished with my son to start seeing someone else. That ‘someone else’ happened to be the school’s Head Boy. He was tall, good looking, clever, athletic - and played in a band. He was the boy who had everything. Some months later, my son went to a film festival - with his former girlfriend. Although they were no longer ‘an item’, they remained good friends and went to certain social events together.

That made a firm impression on me. If my girlfriend had finished with me at the age of 17, I would have been filled with anger, resentment and self-pity. I would have been planning the most unspeakable revenge on both of them - especially as he was ‘God’s Gift to Women’. But not my son. He possessed the emotional maturity that I need a Twelve-Step Programme for.  “Love and tolerance of others is our code.” - a daily lesson learned.

ANON