How long do I have to go?
“The way to remain a productive, responsible member of society is to put our
recovery first.”
Basic Text, p. 102
The meetings have been great! Each night we’ve attended, we’ve gathered with
other addicts to share experience, strength, and hope. And each day, we’ve used
what we’ve learned in the meetings to continue in our recovery.
Meanwhile, life goes on. Work, family, friends, school, sport, entertainment,
community activities, civic obligations-all call out for our time. The demands of
everyday living sometimes make us ask ourselves, “How long do I have to go to
these meetings?”
Let’s think about this. Before coming to Narcotics Anonymous, could we stay clean
on our own? What makes us think we can now? Then there’s the disease itself to
consider-the chronic self-centeredness, the obsessiveness, the compulsive behavior
patterns that express themselves in so many areas of our lives. Can we live and
enjoy life without effective treatment for our disease? No.
“Ordinary” people may not have to worry about such things, but we’re not “Ordinary”
people-we’re addicts. We can’t pretend we don’t have a fatal, progressive illness,
because we do. Without our program, we may not survive to worry about the
demands of work, school, family, or anything else. NA meetings give us the support
and direction we need to recover from our addiction, allowing us to live the fullest
lives possible.
Just for today: I want to live and enjoy life. To do that, I will put my recovery first.