Recovery is a gift, freely given, passed from hand to hand and from heart to heart.
Guiding Principles. Tradition Eight, Opening Meditation
While it can be easy to think of our Traditions as nothing more than rules or guidelines that keep us in check, the truth is that they describe how our Fellowship is able to enjoy tremendous freedom. The NA approach allows us to convey our message in whatever way suits us best—no degrees or specialized training required—just our personal experience shared in our own way. One speaker laughed about our Traditions: “I heard ‘unprofessional’ and ‘it should never be organized,’ and I knew I was in the right place! Then I had the experience of sharing an absolute mess, crying and cursing like crazy, and people came up to me afterward and told me they got a lot out of what I shared.”
Sharing who we are and where we are without pretense, without filters, is an act of generosity. Especially for secretive addicts like us, giving other people the opportunity to peek behind the curtain and see what’s really going on can be a precious gift. We are able to do so much for other addicts when we become honest in this way. When we talk about ourselves, we let other members see that they are not alone in what they are going through. “I was told that I can’t save my face and my ass at the same time,” wrote one addict. “Later I realized that if I try to save my face while helping an addict, I won’t do a very good job of either.”
We never really know which of our words or actions will reach and touch the suffering addict. It could be that one kind gesture, a hug, a special experience we shared, or all of these. NA is not therapy or psychotherapy or any other kind of place where professionals can offer a diagnosis and prescribe a plan. Instead, we freely share the way other addicts have shared with us and connect with others on a heart level.
Becoming vulnerable when sharing opens my heart to other addicts. I will freely give what I have been given: the gift of recovery.
