Flying outside our comfort zone

I will never forget the first time I saw a dolphin crest the wave of the sailboat I bought in early recovery. It bounced up and just seemed to send me a message that I was part of the universe, that I had a right to be there with them...I remember all the times that I took people out on dolphin watch cruises and took newly sober people out sailing. The dolphin would take their breath away and, for an instant, we were all child-like in our amazement. So, when I had to do an amends in the Pensacola Federal Prison Camp, I thought I was being sent to hell. After 6 weeks of oreintation, weed pulling, dishwashing, and other jobs, I was sent to the wood shop and my job for the next 9 months was to carve dolphin figures for awards given to visiting dignitaries on behalf of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. I carved over 100 dolphin in the 9 months that I had the job and, though the conditions were hopelessly depressing, the job helped save my soul. God does that for us.