I identify with Bill when he said in his story, "I was winning at the game of life." I too enjoyed significant worldly success before alcoholism took most everything I held including my interest in life itself. But even as I look back on those so called good times, in honesty I felt empty inside. I found out in the rooms that what I was missing was not more money or a bigger house, but a true partnership with a God of my own understanding -- a God I could do business with. I found that God in AA and I'm forever grateful.
I was 47 years old and about 90 days sober when I was elected the donut guy by the men in my home group. I looked at this as a huge honor and I've been looking at service as an honor ever since. I've been fortunate enough to do a lot of neat stuff growing AA here in mainland China. It feels good to help where I can.
In the 70's they used to say, "whatever goes around comes around." Whatever I put out into the universe comes back to me. Whatever I give I really give to myself. If I am putting positive thoughts and actions into the universe, it comes back to me 10-fold. That's been my experience.
I got my life back in AA. No amount of service that I can do can ever repay this debt.