Our spiritual foundation isn't a matter of whether we know each other's last name—it's that we accept each other regardless of who we are and what we've done.
Guidelines, Twelfth Edition, introductory text
What does a name hide? Well, “Anonymous” is half of ours. By not using our last names, we end up sharing the same thing: “Addict”. But the exercise of anonymity does not end with our last name. A principle can't be that simple—not when it's a word that's so hard to pronounce. Go ahead, try it: Anonymity See? The struggle is real for so many of us!
Because anonymity is, according to our Twelfth Tradition, the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, understanding what it means and how to apply it is essential to our ability to cooperate, relate, and love one another, without terms. Our spiritual foundation is "the very rock upon which we all stand," wrote one member. “But every rock can be turned to sand by relentless forces. An understatement here, a direct insult or an insidious compliment there, and that's it."
Anonymity ensures equality between us, and without it we cannot have unity. None of us are too bad or too good for NA. We don't just tolerate each other's differences and ignore our difficult past. Instead, we honor and embrace the people we are today. We do our best to overcome our differences as characters and our reactions to having a bad day. We trust each other, roll up our sleeves together and get to work.
Acceptance does not mean that we applaud each other's every action. There is room for all of us at the NA table, but we must hold ourselves and each other accountable. Anonymity requires that everyone has equal access to the message. So when a member's behavior prevents this from happening or otherwise disrupts the atmosphere of recovery, we must be clear: “You're welcome. Your behavior is not". We can't expect ourselves to perfectly implement the anonymity aspect of unconditional love, but we can't let that stop us from ensuring that every addict who comes to our group has access to the message of recovery, regardless of who he is or what he has done or might do.
Today I intend to show confidence in the members of the Brotherhood. Practicing anonymity means I have faith that we can all grow beyond our personalities and pasts. It also means I will get better at pronunciation over time!
