SEPTEMBER 2
FINDING “A REASON TO BELIEVE”
The willingness to grow is the essence of all spiritual development.AS BILL SEES IT, p. 171
A line from a song goes, “. . . and I look to find a reason to believe . . .” It reminds me that at one time I was not able to find a reason to believe that my life was all right. Even though my life had been saved by my coming to A.A., three months later I went out and drank again. Someone told me: “You don’t have to believe. Aren’t you willing to believe that there is a reason for your life, even though you may not know yourself what that reason is, or that you may not sometimes know the right way to behave?” When I saw how willing I was to believe there was a reason for my life, then I could start to work on the Steps. Now when I begin with, “I am willing. . . ,” I am using the key that leads to ac- tion, honesty, and an openness to a Higher Power moving through my life.Remembering Mike T.
I don’t know where exactly Michael S. Tinney was born in 1942. I know he grew up in the Northwest in Bellevue and Tikula Washington. He went to Bellevue and Foster High.
This was back in the day when you got your groceries at Dutch Girl or the Market Basket. Ernst Hardware had plenty of stuff for cleaning up the pine and brus aound Lake Washington and you could too with no one paying no mind. Ernst had a long aisle of fishing tackle too.
The Johnson’s home made candy for 40 years at the Kandy Korner, The cinder block Riverside Café for many a breakfast, lunch and dinner, Don Merkle’s Chevron to get your car fixed. Or get a case a beer.
This was Bellevue before Microsoft and all the tech companies came along with campuses and high rises.
By then, Mike was gone anyway. He graduated from from Foster High in Tikula in 1960 and attended the University of Puget Sound from 1965 through 1970.
I believe it was here that he met Bonnie Funk, the love of his life. They were married either 47 years or longer and had three children. Kevin, Holly and Ryan. Unfortunately, Kevin preceded him in passing away in 2019.
Mike came to Sacramento sometime in the 1970’s, maybe by way of Walnut Creek. Not sure. Settled down in Pocket.
His professional career was with ASC Pacific/ BHP Steel, for 13 years. The Sierra Lake Group for 14 years. Then after a parting of the ways… and a rethinking of life… Mike got sober at the Straight Men’s Group with the help of Bob W. and Ross R. And stayed sober for 35 years, “in a row”.
Step Two Men’s Group started in October of 2005. Mike started transitioning over a little after the first of 2006. Like a New Year’s Resolution.
I am not sure when he became one of the guiding lights of the Group. I came to Step Two in 2013.
From the very beginning Mike had a profound influence on me. I watched him have a profound influence on others. When he got the Grant Miller Award in 2016, there was no question as to why he was getting it.
Mike took AA very seriously. I think he had to sacrifice to do so, so if you were not at least making an effort, I think it offended him.
All that was great for me. Ninety percent of the time he would have a smile on his face when giving me some “friendly advice” and most of the time we both would end up laughing. Mike had that great sense of human nature.
He got me to Secretary a Meeting and later, with some other gangsters, be General Secretary of the Group. When I did something he felt needed correcting he was not hesitant. Sometimes, I’d say, well you know Mike, its part of the package, and not missing a beat and very expressively reply, “Then it’s time to change the brand !”. It probably doesn’t make sense but I got the point.
Mike’s shares in group were sometimes boiler plate but very encouraging. If I said something after a meeting like, “Gee , I think I might have offended or pissed off that guy….”Mike had a ready F@#$ ..m. Lifted the burden right away.
He’s get on a new guy that was on his phone, a guy that came to meetings but couldn’t decide if he was one of us, and or especially if a guy rambled on and on in a share.
If you shared about something that was really bothering you, AA related or not, Mike would say that that was the beauty of our room, you could talk to the guys there about anything. Save the $300 an hour on psycho-analysis.
He shared with us too. Not complaining, just talking about the kids, dealing with Bonnie’s health and passing, okay it was after meetings but the Kings, the Giants, the 49ers and golf at El Macero.
Mike said one thing that always stuck. I can hear him say it now. I hope I hear it for the rest of my life.
“I go to meetings, I don’t drink in between, I work the steps the best I can, and some days I just hang on.”
Farewell, my friend. I, and I think I speak for so very many, from the bottom of our hearts, we will miss you and never forget you.
Contributed by John M.
IN MEMORIAM: MIKE T.
At this time, we do not have information about memorial or funeral services for Mike. We will share the details with the group as soon as they become available.
First Wednesday… September 2nd
Come join a review of Step 9 on September 2nd (First Wednesday). “Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.”
John reviews the step corresponding to the number of that month on each first Wednesday. It’s a rewarding meeting with John outlining the step of the month, how he was challenged by it and how we tackle it ourselves, with and without success! Look for his monthly contribution in this edition!
Nine not my Best
Unnngggh. Step Nine. The last of the action Steps and definitely the most burdensome.
Making apologies, making amends, in some cases – paying back some cash you may not have.
I recently had an incident. I may owe the guy an apology now. There was an incident that took me into that territory of protecting my sobriety and upsetting a group of friends from back in the day when I was drinking.
I have this friend who has tried to “keep me in the loop”. We would meet for lunch. Eventually, he would invite me to meet him with a few friends from back growing up here in Sacramento. Yes, they were from the hell raising days.
Yes, they had experienced at different times some measure of my unreliability. I apologized to them, individually and collectively. Ir didn’t seem to make much difference.
Gradually though, the lunch group expanded. There were a few new additions that I didn’t want to see. They had “got me” in the past or let me down when I was having a real problem. I have always felt this condescension too, added like an olive in a martini.
I grew up in a competitive crowd and while its okay to win, it’s not to gloat.Some are still like that and we are not kids anymore.
So, I avoid them. I skip the lunches where they are at. It upsets the guy that put those lunches together and tries to keep me in the loop. It also upsets the early lunch crowd.
So much that they think of me being unreliable again. Or at least I think. I don’t get invited much lately but that’s okay too.
I guess my point is, Step Nine is hard and I feel that in our lives we have circumstances. If you stole or owe money, you gotta pay it back. If you lied, you gotta fess up. A lot of what gets said, you can’t take back and in some cases, well, life can be a tough business.
As the late, great Mike T. used to say, “You do the right thing…. And you’ll know it when it comes across your path.”
I suppose so.
Contributed by John M.
My First Meeting
Please be “of service.” If you’ve never contributed a “My First Meeting”, please help to keep this column going…we need you! What do you remember most of your first meeting? It can be one sentence; it can be up to two paragraphs. Could be funny, poignant or strictly “clinical”. Write what you want…you might have enjoy writing it!
Our Trusted Servants Continue to Be:
The current Step 2 Men’s Group meeting schedule is Monday, Wednesday & Friday at Tim’s (3809 J St), Tuesday & Thursday online, Saturday in the park is “Daily Reflections”. Each gathering is one hour. Great job men!
- Monday: Tim C.
- Tuesday: Mark C.
- Wednesday: John M.
- Thursday: Sean F.
- Friday: Jon B.
- Saturday: Dave M.
Want to add your name to the “Back-up-Help-Substitute Secretary List”? Just contact Group GS, Mark C., Treasurer Mark W. or any of our other Secretaries and let them know!
Step 2 Men’s Group Believes…
“Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.”
We’d never presume that the 12 Steps are not clear. Nor would we imply that they need ‘improvement’. However…for purposes of assisting to keep the meeting pointed in an important direction each day, the “Step 2 Men’s Group Statement” is read as follows:
Step 2 Men’s Group is founded on the belief that spirituality is essential to our sobriety.
Our group is non-religious, but we do not oppose anyone’s religious beliefs. We believe that respect for others and their beliefs is essential to our spiritual development.
Accordingly we ask that avoid criticism of others or of their religion or lack of religion, their race, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation, physical appearance, trade or profession, length of sobriety, or personal beliefs.
Our goal is to further our spirituality, our sobriety and our personal development, not to confront or belittle others. Always remember to be kind to others.
Extra Special Thanks Dept:
Thank you, Charlie Potatoes. I’m gonna keep coming back, old man.
