Sunday, August 23, 2009

Salt Spring Island 17th Annual AA Rally - Sunday



By now the toilets were all working and the showers had hot water. The coffee was great. The Kiwanis breakfast was even better . The final speaker Vern from Whitbey Island was a joy to hear. He described life on the islands without electricity but lots of booze. Then one day he met a woman in AA who didn't like the way he drank and he 'wanted what she had'. He stayed sober and they moved in together but it was a while later that he met the love of his life. 12 years married and much longer sober, he spoke to finding God in his life in ways he'd never have thought possible. "Don't leave till the miracle happens", he said and we all stood applauding him and the spiritual singer, John, before who'd sung Amazing Grace to open the meeting. Holding hands we closed the meeting and the rally with the Serenity Prayer. The organizers were amazing. "I loved the woman speaker who told the story of starting Avalon Woman's centre" one of us said as we reminisced about the rally taking down tents and loading the car and motorcycle. Clean up was fun, many hands making the work light.
We figured we'd get a ride on the ferry on the motorcycle but the guys in the car weren't so certain. Typically generous Brian had offered the other tents a ride so his car was riding low with people and tents and musical instruments. Looked like a regular Indian bus when it left the campgrounds. Waiting in Long Harbour for the ferry was serenity itself as eagles circled the beautiful bay. Murray on his Harley rode on with us and the girls both 4'11'' exchanged phone numbers before we all headed up to the ferry restaurant for burgers and fries. A perfect day for a crossing. Blue sea and blue sky and all of us with red faces or tans from the hot sun. Saltspring Island Rally was awesome!!!!


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