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Post by lildee on Jan 13, 2006 7:30:16 GMT -5
Tradition One
1. Our common welfare should come first; personal progress for the greatest number depends upon unity.
How has Tradition One helped you ?
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Post by Lin on Jan 22, 2006 5:02:52 GMT -5
The part about realizing we each have a right to our voice...our opinion was very good for me. My whole life I have lived with active alcoholics. I was told toshut up and do what I say...no back talk. I was made to believe that my opinion did not matter. Others were in charge and had the final say.
Once I realized that we all have a right to voice an opinion I started steppign out of my comfort zone and speaking up for myself. Tradition one has personally stopped me from being a doormat. I speak up for what is fair and right. I do voice my opinion today. I stand up for what I feel is right. I have become more self confident and outgoing because of tradition one.
Because of all the other steps and traditions I am also cafeful not to make doormats of OTHERS.
LIN
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Post by caressa on Jan 22, 2006 12:20:33 GMT -5
Tradition One: Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity. "Every newcomer, every friend who looks at A.A. for the first time is greatly puzzled. They see liberty verging on license, yet they recognize at once that A.A. has an irresistible strength of purpose and action….The A.A. member has to conform to the principles of recovery. His life depends upon obedience to spiritual principles.” © 1981, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pages 129-30 ******************************************************** "Just For Today!" Web Site: www.aahistory.com/jft.html (Sharing AA recovery messages Monday through Friday of each week) To Subscribe: send an e-mail to: bob@just42day.org with the command " join JFT " in the 'Subject:' line of the message (the subject line, not the main body) To Unsubscribe: send an e-mail to: bob@just42day.org with the command " quit JFT " in the 'Subject:' line ******************************************************** |
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Post by Baritone on Jan 28, 2006 23:27:58 GMT -5
Tradition One has helped me to see that i don't have to be right all the time. For example, if a meeting is run a certain way - even if it's not the way I would have it run - as long as it's helping people, that's more important than having it done my way.
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Post by Lin on Jan 29, 2006 10:24:46 GMT -5
That's a great way to see it Baritone1 Thanks for opening my eyes to that thought.
LIN
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Post by caressa on Jan 29, 2006 20:49:21 GMT -5
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Post by stickmonkey on Apr 1, 2007 15:19:34 GMT -5
like the slogan my sponsor in n.a. used,
if im not the problem,there is no solution
so in every situation,i need to see if i have overstepped my reality before i prejudge who is
is right or wrong.
i need to accept everyone in the skin god has them in
without judgement.
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Post by stickmonkey on Apr 2, 2007 10:47:34 GMT -5
AOur common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends on NA unity.@ Throughout the fellowship of Narcotics Anonymous, each member is but a small part of a much greater whole. NA must continue to live, for without the recovery born of this fellowship, many of us would surely face the alternatives of jails, institutions, dereliction, and death. It is in the spirit of unity that we are offered freedom from active addiction by collectively practicing the principles of NA=s Twelve Steps in our daily lives. Our meetings, and our groups, are the forum by which one addict works with another, freely giving what was so freely given to us. The spirit of unity is born through identification and empathy. Identification ‑ a conscious awareness of our common [fellow=s] thoughts, feelings, and problems, is our initial connection. Empathy - the emotional insight [association] and spiritual bonds, compliments that connection. [as] They become our primary vehicles of communication [together] where words leave off [all others are lost], this is our language. It is with this language that a member can suddenly stop sharing in a meeting, begin to shed tears or choke up[cry], and as the room grows quite, words no longer need be used. In this environment of unique love and concern, [like no other], our message is still being carried and understood by all members present. Part of the proof of this is when non-members are present and later say they didn=t >get it.= In Narcotics Anonymous, individual welfare is held nearly [equally] as important as our common welfare. Though our common welfare comes first, we continue to enhance our individual welfare by offering each member as much dignity and respect as any other. [One of the most important concepts of] Unity comes from understanding and maintaining a similar sense of surrender and humility. This ideal is found when we place ourselves rightly [and relatively] in respect to God and the people around us, thereby[fore] creating a fellowship. The word fellowship, by its very nature, implies a body of equals, none of any greater or lesser value in NA. This equality may be the key to our unity. We don=t like bosses, especially when they have done nothing to earn or maintain our respect. We have found that the spirit of recovery resides equally in all who can share their pain and desire for recovery. Each member, by their own conscience, will bears both the burden of labor and enjoy the fruit of harvest[, if they so desire]. We have no rulers, governors, or managers; no member can be punished or expelled. A group of members is neither greater than the individual, nor is any individual member greater than a group. This concept is complimented by the simplicity of having only one membership requirement. Our Ninth Tradition protects us from having [implementing, or suggestions implying,] rules for conformity. Sharing our pain and desire for recovery is what makes us surrender - and surrender makes us members. Tradition Two removes the threat of appointing people who rule by title to enforce such rules. Our leaders lead by example. Our unity is simply maintained from the understanding and application of all Twelve Traditions, here each tradition compliments the others. The fellowship of Narcotics Anonymous is a society, or culture, like few others in the world today. There are no masters or rulers demanding obedience, only leaders and servants inviting respect. Though some [this may seem difficult to understand in a world accustomed to societies] are organized by [relative,] economic or geographic boundaries; ours is based on the actions we take today. [simply not so.] NA is made of up people with a common problem - addiction, and a common solution - The Twelve Steps. [Unlike the others,] NA members need no human authority to maintain order; the punishment we give ourselves through a relapse is far greater than any government could ever order. Each member will eventually begin living the principles necessary to ensure their daily reprieve. The Twelve Steps of Narcotics Anonymous, as implemented in the lives of each of our members, are often viewed as his or her personal recovery. Our spiritual connection with each other=s personal recovery creates one of the strongest bonds holding us together. Eventually, every member who has suffered the horrors of addiction and gains hope of recovery, understands the necessity and vitality of a spiritual way of life. As this awakening of the spirit occurs and flourishes, [so does] it is reflected in our unity. As we apply the Twelve Steps in our lives as a design for living, we open the door to humility. Our need for false pride and ego is replaced by skill and ability. Generally compliance or noncompliance with any of the principles in NA is left to the conscience of each individual, as influenced by his or her understanding of God=s will. Major disruption or causing harm to fellow members is not allowed. With this in mind, we are free to practice acceptance, patience, and tolerance towards one another. The unity called for in our First Tradition is threatened when our principles are compromised by fear of diversity. Our diversity is our strength, the broader our base the higher our point of freedom. Whenever we do not accept others as they are [and attempt to exert our will on them to conform, it is often] we[, who] are doing harm to the unity of our fellowship. [the greater harm.] Because of the nature of our disease, we are vigilant to keep our meetings safe for addicts seeking recovery. Each group has its own conscience.
Tradition One asks us to overlook the differences that may divide us and focus on our common identity as unified and equal members of a greater whole. It is through this commonality that one learns that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Each part has its own uniqueness, a difference necessary to fit exactly where God had intended it, just for today.
Our common welfare hinges not so much on our ability to impose uniformity as it does with every individual member=s willingness to surrender any defect standing standing in the way of unconditional love and acceptance of our fellows. Unity is love, family, and the NA way of life. Working together to love one another, we have a better chance at helping the next suffering addict stop using, loose the desire to use, and find a new way to live.
- from member in Los Angeles
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TRADITION 1
"Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends on NA unity."
The willingness to work this tradition comes as a direct result of the spiritual awakening that I experienced by working and applying the 12 steps to my life, on a daily basis, to the best of my ability. Previously, I had read most of the traditions and have attended a few tradition meetings. Nevertheless, I could not understand what purpose the traditions would serve, other than some basic guidelines that would at least keep the chaos to a reasonable level so that a regular calendar of area NA events would be possible.
I could not comprehend the concept of common welfare or unity initially because I could not see past my own personal agenda. My experiences with other 12 step fellowships had been negative. When I began to see and feel what recovery was like in NA, I would hear people speak and share at meetings and say things that where contradictory to the way I worked my program and they were just wrong misinformed people. I would get very upset and I would think of ways to be even more outrageous than they were. I would go to a meeting only to feel alone and different from most or all of the people in the meeting, I felt isolated and unique in some meetings. I sensed that this was a dangerous state of mind. I made a conscience effort to focus on the similarities rather than the differences and that diversity can be our strength. However, lives do hang in the balance.
My primary purpose is to stay clean and increase the quality of my life, mentally, physically and spiritually to be happy, joyous and free. I can only keep what I have by giving it away and I cannot give it to myself. Therefore, without the group and its members I am doomed. The groups support NA as a whole. I can well understand why a worldwide fellowship is vital to the individual member’s survival. I have attended meetings in other countries and in other states and did not feel alone. NA was there and I was welcomed. I can go anywhere in the world and I have nothing to fear.
We suffer from a common affliction. More importantly, we have found a common solution; NA. If we truly believe in NA and that our personal recoveries depend on NA, then NA must survive. A spirit of unity on a foundation of goodwill should guide the individual members in their personal conduct, as well as exercising their point of view at the group level or any other NA service position, see past their own personal objectives, and consider the affects on the group and NA as a whole.
I apply this tradition by slowing down in the moment and ask myself is what you are about to say in the spirit of unity and on a foundation of goodwill? Is what I am about to say intended to polarize the group and cause people to take sides? On the other hand, am I just trying to make some one that I do not like or disagree with look stupid? Am I considering the addict that has yet to walk through the door here or on the other side of the world? What would someone think if it was their first meeting? Would that person feel unconditional love in spite of whom they are? If I contemplate these questions carefully before I speak or interact with others, my part in NA unity and our common welfare will be preserved.
John H
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Post by stickmonkey on Apr 17, 2007 14:13:25 GMT -5
TRADITION ONE: “Our common welfare should come first; personal recover
depends on NA Unity.” (Page 59 – 60)
Tradition One guarantees our survival and freedom as a Fellowship to continue to carry the message to the addict who still suffers.
1. What are the two things Tradition One concerns is with? (Paragraph 1)
2) What is imperative to our survival as an addict? (Paragraph 1)
3) Does this tradition teach us that we don’t need certain addicts? (Paragraph 2)
4) Can we put members out whom we don’t like or who do not do what we tell them to do? (Paragraph 2)
5) How do we lead and learn from each other in Narcotics Anonymous? (Paragraph 2)
6) What do we do differently in NA concerning our personal desires? (Paragraph 2)
7) What does our personal experience teach us about self-sufficiency? (Paragraph 3)
8) What three common themes did we find in our recovery? (Paragraph 3)
9) How do we deal with disagreements and conflicts in NA? (Paragraph 4)
10) What are some of the commonplace activities in our Fellowship? (Paragraph 4)
11) How do we ensure that we will survive and continue to carry the message to the addict who still suffers? (Paragraph 5)
12) How can we apply and practice the spiritual lessons of common welfare, unity, compromise, teamwork, settling disagreement and conflict in our home lives outside of the Fellowship? (From the heart)
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Post by stickmonkey on Apr 17, 2007 17:47:45 GMT -5
NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS GUIDE TO THE TWELVE TRADITIONS
“We keep what we have only with vigilance, and just as freedom for the individual comes from the Twelve Steps so freedom for the group springs from our Traditions. As long as the ties that bind us together are stronger than those that will tear us apart, all will be well. Understanding these Traditions comes slowly over a period of time. We pick up information as we talk to members and visit various groups. It usually isn’t until we get involved with service that someone points out that personal recovery depends on N.A. unity, and that unity depends on how well we follow our Traditions. The Twelve Traditions of N.A. are not negotiable. They are the guidelines that keep our Fellowship alive and free.”
“By following these guidelines in our dealings with others, and society at large, we avoid many problems. That is not to say that our Traditions eliminate all problems. We still have to face difficulties as they arise: communication problems, differences of opinion, internal controversies, and troubles with individuals and groups outside the Fellowship. However, when we apply these principles, we avoid some of the pitfalls. Many of our problems are like those that our predecessors had to face. Their hard won experience gave birth to the Traditions, and our own experience has shown that these principles are just as valid today as they were when these Traditions were formulated. Our Traditions protect us from the internal and external forces that could destroy us. They are truly the ties that bind us together. It is only through. understanding and application that they work.”
It is very important that we understand and abide by our Traditions. The very survival of our Fellowship is at stake. By these principles we are committed to one another, not only to those addicts who are here but those yet to come. The Traditions were built upon anonymity, the spiritual foundation from which we grow. Applying the Traditions is an obligation to us all. Despite our personal views or feelings, we must keep our Traditions first. This guide is designed to help us understand the Traditions and to work through any differences that we might have.
TRADITION ONE
“Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends on N.A. unity.”
Narcotics Anonymous is more than just the meetings we attend. We are part of a greater whole. We share an equal membership in NA, and we all have an interest in maintaining the unity that underlies its common welfare. Unity is the spiritual link that joins thousands of members around the world in a spiritual fellowship that has the power to change lives.
One way to look at placing our common welfare first is to say that each of us is equally responsible for NA’s well being. In our recovery, we have found that living clean is difficult without the support of other members. Our individual recovery depends on meetings that take place regularly, other recovering addicts who participate and sponsors who share with us how to stay clean. Even members who can’t get to meetings depend on the support of fellow addicts. They maintain contact through phone calls, letters, and NA loner groups. As individual members rely on support of the Fellowship for survival, so NA”s survival depends on its members.
How would you define unity in relation to our common welfare?
How do I place the welfare of Narcotics anonymous first?
As an individual member, what are my responsibilities to NA?
How can I promote unity within the Fellowship?
How can lack of unity affect my personal recovery?
How will unity as described in the Traditions help me in my personal recovery?
Our First Tradition encourages not only our members but also our groups to place our common welfare first. Most groups conduct most of their affairs on their own. In attending to the details of their daily routines, autonomous NA groups may lose sight of the bigger picture. In the larger frame, each group is a strand in the supporting fabric of Narcotics Anonymous as a whole; without that fabric, there would be no NA. The importance of our unity encourages our groups to look to the welfare of the worldwide NA Fellowship before their own.
Why is unity in Narcotics Anonymous so important?
How important is it that our groups conduct their affairs with the whole NA
Fellowship in mind?
In what ways can I place the common welfare of the NA Fellowship first?
What part do I play in the overall picture?
How do I place principles before personalities while promoting unity?
The relationship described in the First Tradition is reciprocal. Groups work together in a spirit of cooperation to ensure the survival of Narcotics Anonymous; in turn, those groups receive strength and support from every other group and all our services. The strength of our mutual commitment to NA creates the unity that binds us together in spite of all that might divide us. The common welfare of NA depends on the continued growth and well being of the Fellowship in every corner of the world. Our shared commitment to recovery and to our common welfare gives us a personal stake in the unity of NA. In meetings, we find a new place to belong, new friends, and a hope for a better life. A feeling of care and concern grows between us and the group. We learn to treat others with kindness and respect and do what we can to support each other and our group. Sometimes we comfort each other merely by being present; at other times, a phone call or letter to say hello can make a world of difference. Our relationships with other addicts are a source of strength in our personal recovery. We come to rely on meetings and on each other for that support. The unity we see in our meetings is an expression not only of our reliance on each other but our mutual reliance on spiritual principles and a Higher Power.
In what ways do I see the commitment of NA to the individual group?
What services does Narcotics Anonymous provide?
What responsibility do I share in the unity of Narcotics Anonymous?
In what way does my personal recovery depend on the unity of NA?
What can I do to better serve NA as a whole?
NA unity begins with our recognition of the therapeutic value of one addict helping another. We help each other in different ways. Sometimes we help each other one-on-one, as in sponsorship, or we may help each other by participating in the formation of new meetings to make NA accessible to more addicts. Many groups are formed when members of a more established group help to start another group. Sharing the responsibility enhances our common welfare and creates unity among NA members who work together. Groups flourish with the loving support of addicts helping addicts. We strengthen our unity by participating in each other’s recovery.
How can one addict helping another addict strengthen the unity of NA?
What are some ways in which I can participate in each another’s recovery?
In what ways can I reach other addicts?
Communication goes a long way toward building and enhancing our common welfare. With an attitude of open-mindedness, we seek to understand other perspectives. Reports may tell us a lot about what’s happening in other groups or areas, but our common welfare depends on more than just information. True communication involves an effort on our part to “listen” as we read or hear reports, seeking a better understanding of the needs and problems of both our own group and other groups, wherever they may be. Encouraging each member to speak openly from the heart enhances our ability to work together. Regular reports, thorough discussion, and active listening lead us to the kind of understanding that helps us find creative solutions that benefit us all. Today’s decisions may affect tomorrow’s members. When we think of solutions to our current problems, it’s not hard to consider the needs of our group, our area, our region, or even the worldwide Fellowship. But it’s also important to remember the “unseen member” in our discussion-the member yet to come. When we work to ensure the vitality of NA, we’re not working just for ourselves but for those yet to join us.
Why is communication so important to us as a Fellowship?
Why is open-mindedness necessary to our common welfare?
Why is it imperative that we always have the group's conscience?
Are we thorough in our decision making processes?
Do I seek to be understood rather than to understand?
Does our group seek to serve itself rather than the addict yet to come?
The unity that supports our common welfare is created not only by working together but also by playing together. The friendships we develop outside meetings strengthen NA unity. Fellowship activities provide opportunities for us to relax, socialize with each other, and have fun. Conventions, dinners, and holiday celebrations give us a chance to celebrate our recovery while practicing social skills. Picnics, dances, and sports days, for example, often allow our families to participate, too. We strengthen our sense of community when we share more than just meeting time. Stronger relationships develop, as we become more involved in each other’s lives. The care and understanding born of these relationships are strong threads in the fabric of NA unity.
What are some other ways to strengthen the unity of NA?
What are the ties that bind us together?
Applying spirituals principles
In the Twelve Steps of NA we learn to apply principles to better our lives. Moved by the miracle of personal recovery, we reach out to share that miracle with others. This is the essence of being of service in NA. In supporting our unity, we first apply principles to guide our own behavior. As groups, we use the same principles for guidance. That guidance creates a sense of unity that strengthens our ability to reach out to others, enhancing our common welfare. Some of the principles that seem particularly important to unity include surrender and acceptance, commitment, selflessness, love, and anonymity. As we practice these principles, we will find others who strengthen unity as well. Surrender and acceptance open the door to unity. As our trust in a Higher Power grows, it gets easier to let go of our personal desires and stop fighting for what we want. With an attitude of surrender, working together in a group becomes easier. Tradition One presents a picture of addicts working together worldwide to support each other’s recovery. We try to remember this goal in all our actions, as individuals or as groups. If we find that our personal desires or the aims of our group conflict with that ideal, unity asks us to surrender our own desires and accept guidance that enhances the greater good of Narcotics Anonymous. Only by deciding to be part of that whole can we support the unity so essential to our personal survival.
What does surrender mean in the context of Tradition One?
What does acceptance mean in the context of Tradition One?
Commitment is another essential ingredient in unity. Personal commitment to our shared sense of purpose is one of the ties that bind us together. When we know that we belong in NA, and when we make a commitment to stay, we become a part of the greater whole. Our sense of belonging is closely related to our degree of commitment to recovery in NA. As groups, the combined strength of that commitment is a powerful force in serving others. With that strong commitment, we are able to carry the message of hope that will support us all in our recovery. Commitment is a decision supported by our belief in NA as a way of life. Regular meeting attendance is one way in which we live out that belief. Greeting newcomers as they arrive or giving our telephone number to someone who needs help also reflects our decision. Sponsorship, sharing in meetings, setting up chairs before meetings—all these are ways in which we express our commitment. Each member finds a level of service that fits comfortably into a balanced program of recovery.
What does commitment mean to me?
Have I found what I am comfortable doing in the Fellowship of Narcotics Anonymous?
What can I do to help the addict who still suffers?
Am I giving back that which was so freely given to me?
In what other ways do I live out the belief that NA is a way of life?
Selflessness is another indispensable element in unity. The principles we learn in the Steps help us let go of our selfishness and lovingly serve the needs of others. To keep our groups healthy, we place the needs of our group ahead of our own personal desires. The same principle applies to our affairs as a group. Setting aside what we may want as a group, we think about the needs of the Fellowship and seek ways to support our common good. Our ability to survive as a Fellowship and to reach others depends on our unity.
What does selflessness mean in the context of Tradition One?
Love is a principle that is expressed in the practice of goodwill toward one another. We contribute to unity in our meetings by exercising loving care in the way we speak to and the way we treat one another. We try to share our experience, strength, and hope in a way, which demonstrates that recovery, is available in Narcotics Anonymous. An atmosphere of love and care in our meetings helps members feel comfortable and safe. The love we show each other attracts newcomers and strengthens us all, fueling our sense of unity and common welfare.
How can I show the love I have for the Fellowship?
What is unconditional love?
Anonymity, the spiritual foundation of our Traditions, supports NA unity as well. When we apply anonymity to the First Tradition, we overlook the differences that would separate us. In the context of unity, anonymity means that the message of recovery is for every addict who wants it. We learn to set aside our prejudices and focus on our common identity as addicts. Each of us has an equal right to and responsibility for the well-being of Narcotics Anonymous. Just as anonymity is the spiritual foundation of our Traditions, the unity spoken of in the First Tradition is the practical foundation on which we may build strong and successful groups. With unity as our practical foundation, we find that our relationship with one another is more important than any issue that may arise to divide us. No problem or disagreement is more significant than our need for each other’s support. The fundamental importance of our common welfare strengthens our understanding of all the other Traditions. Many questions can be answered simply by determining how the action we contemplate will affect the unity of the Fellowship. Will it serve to divide us, or will it bring us closer together?
Are we practicing anonymity in our group?
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mhurst
Newest Family Member
Posts: 1
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Post by mhurst on Aug 7, 2007 20:44:36 GMT -5
I would like to find a sponsor and have approached a sponsor a few months ago and was sober for 4 months and expierenced triggers and relapsed. I have seeked professional help and now I am on medication to help me with me my cravings which I feel as it has helped. I have attended AA and I feel as I am heading the right direction and I feel as I am struggling with triggers in my life and having to cope with my problems sober.
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Post by MrDuck on Aug 7, 2007 21:52:47 GMT -5
Welcome to the site MHURST. Not sure what you mean by triggers. But know that drunk or sober life has ups and downs. Sober I can deal with them better. Life has a whole lot more meaning for me now than it use to. It takes time and trial and errors for me to learn to live life on life's terms. Hang in there. You will make it. Hope you keep going to meetings and a positive support team. Take care.
Ron
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Post by caressa on Sept 21, 2009 10:51:24 GMT -5
At the conference this weekend I found the article I was sharing about. It is called "Tradition Checklist from the AA Grapefine.
These questions are originally published in the AA Grapevine in conjunction with a series on the Twelve Traditions that began in November 1969 and ran through September 1971. While they are originally intended primarily for individual use, many AA Groups have since used them as a basis for wider discussion.
Practice these principles...
1. Am I in my group a healing, mending, integrating person, or am I divisive? What about gossip and take other people's inventory.
2. Am I a peacemaker? Or do I, with pious preludes such as "Just for the sake of discussion" plunge into arguement.
3. Am I gentle with those who rub me the wrong way, or am I abrasive?
4. Do I make competitive AA remarks, such as comparing one group with another or contracting AA in one place with Aa in another?
5. Do I put down AA activities as if I were superior for not participating in this or that aspect of AA?
6. Am I informed about AA as a whole? Do I support, in every way I can, AA as a whole; or just the parts I understand and approve of?
7. Am I as considerate of AA members as I want them to be to me?
8. Do I spout platitudes about love while indulging in and secretly justifying behavior that bristles with hostility?
9. Do I go to enough AA meetings or read enough AA literature to really keep in touch?
10. Do I share with AA all of me, the bad and the good, accepting as well as giving the help of fellowship?
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Post by Marcie on Nov 15, 2009 11:04:58 GMT -5
And a very useful tool for any group willing to look.
I was involved in one of these inventories and found it not only did a good job of the group looking at itself, but I as an individual got a lot out of it.
"I'm I part of the problem or part of the solution?"
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Post by SunnyGirl on Jun 19, 2013 13:15:29 GMT -5
And a very useful tool for any group willing to look.
I was involved in one of these inventories and found it not only did a good job of the group looking at itself, but I as an individual got a lot out of it.
"I'm I part of the problem or part of the solution?"; So well said Marcie.... we miss you lady! Hugs, SG |
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Post by BW on Jun 19, 2013 13:38:36 GMT -5
how timely...this has been coming up a great deal lately both in groups and in 1 on 1 conversations
as it was explained to me Unity does not mean AA [or any of the 12 step program] wants us all to believe the exact same way...following in the exact same foot prints
It means uncovering and discovering who we are as individuals, our own identities, our own connectedness to our creator and to the universe, our own beliefs, values and integrity..It means I get to learn how to agree to disagree ..WITH RESPECT by honoring the other person by listening to them
I do not force my beliefs or my opinions on others...that is why it is called sharing...
When they say there is only one thing I need to change on this journey...I have come to understand it is EVERYTHING ;D
Even my way of thinking and speaking...I try to delete the words "SHOULD" ..."YOU NEED TO" "YOU HAVE TO' etc . That is not my job or responsibility
The only thing I have to give or share is my own story, my ESH, and a listening heart.
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Post by Lin on Jul 24, 2013 15:52:11 GMT -5
I have heard it said you should do this or I should have done that...and someone said to stop shoulding all over yourself.
LIN
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Post by majestyjo on Oct 2, 2014 3:20:18 GMT -5
A long time since I have been a member of AA. I was grateful to receive this inventory for my group before it closed.
I was told several times over the years Lin, to quit shouldin' all over the place. It makes a mess of my life and the life of those around me.
For me, it has always been, our primary purpose is to carry the message to the alcoholic/addict/and the family and friends thereof, to tell them there is hope and there is a way, one day at a time.
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Post by majestyjo on Aug 30, 2016 10:03:40 GMT -5
A lot of good shares here. It is my opinion that the Steps and Traditions need to be taken out of the meeting rooms and applied to our lives. They are good, especially when applied to my home life.
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Post by majestyjo on Apr 27, 2018 21:28:12 GMT -5
Learning the Traditions, so I live long enough to work the Steps.
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"Win, loose, or draw I have had one hell of a lot of fun being here."
. I will be back looking for Lin and others.