Unity and uniformity
“Unity is a must in Narcotics Anonymous.”
Basic Text p. 60
Unity is not uniformity. Unity springs from the fact that we have unity of purpose-to
recover, and to help others stay clean. Even so, we often find that while we strive to
fulfill the same purpose, our means and methods may be radically different.
We can’t impose our ideas of unity on others or confuse unity with uniformity. In
fact, a big attraction of the NA program is the absence of uniformity. Unity springs
from our common purpose, not from standards imposed on the group by a few wellmeaning members.
A group that has the unity which springs from the loving hearts
of its members allows each addict to carry the message in his or her own unique
way.
In our dealings with each other in NA, we sometimes disagree rather vocally. We
must remember that the details of how we get things done isn’t always important, so
long as we keep our focus on the group’s primary purpose. We can watch members
who vehemently disagree over trivial things pull together when a newcomer reaches
out for help. Someone was there for us when we got to the rooms of NA. Now it is
our turn to be there for others. We need unity to help show the newcomer that this
way of life works.
Just for today: I will strive to be a part of unity. I know that unity does not equal
uniformity.