Recovery: our first priority
“We have to keep our recovery first and our priorities in order”
Basic Text p. 79
Before coming to NA, we used many excuses to justify our use of drugs: “He yelled
at me.” “She said this.” “My partner left.” “I got fired.” We used these same excuses
for not seeking help for our drug problem. We had to realize that these things kept
happening because we kept using drugs. Only when we made recovery our first
priority did these situations begin to change.
We may be subject to the same tendency today, using excuses for not attending
meetings and being of service. Our current excuses may be of a different nature: “I
can’t leave my kids.” “My vacation wore me out.” “I have to finish this project so I
can impress my boss.” But still, if we don’t make recovery our first priority, chances
are that we won’t have to worry about these excuses anymore. Kids, vacations, and
jobs probably won’t be in our lives if we relapse.
Our recovery must come first. Job or no job, relationship or no relationship, we have
to attend meetings, work the steps, call our sponsor, and be of service to God and
others. These simple actions are what make it possible for us to have vacations,
families, and bosses to worry about. Recovery is the foundation of our lives, making
everything else possible.
Just for today: I will keep my priorities in order. Number One on the list is my
recovery.