Unlikely Teachers

"When the student is ready, the teacher appears." How I hated to hear those words at meetings. They implied humility and a willingness to listen to whatever stranger happened to sit next to me or approach me on the street. Yet during five years of sobriety, many teachers have appeared in my life. Some were only there for a short time. I was not particularly fond of all of them. But in looking back over those "chance" encounters, I am grateful for the gift of willingness I received long enough to hear what those special people had to say.