Something valuable to share
“A simple, honest message of recovery from addiction rings true.”
Basic Text, p. 50
You’re in a meeting. The sharing has been going on for some time. One or two
members have described their spiritual experiences in an especially meaningful way.
Another has had us all rolling in the aisles with entertaining stories. And then the
leader calls on you… gulp. You shyly introduce yourself, apologetically stammer out
a few lines, thank everyone for listening, and sit out the rest of the meeting in
embarrassed silence. Sound familiar? Well, you’re not alone.
We’ve all had times when we’ve felt that what we had to share wasn’t spiritual
enough, wasn’t entertaining enough, wasn’t something enough. But sharing is not a
competitive sport. The meat of our meetings is identification and experience,
something all of us have in abundance. When we share from our hearts the truth of
our experience, other addicts feel they can trust us because they know we’re just
like them. When we simply share what’s been effective in our lives, we can be sure
that our message can be helpful to others.
Our sharing doesn’t have to be either fancy or funny to ring true. Every addict
working an honest program that brings meaningful recovery has something of
immense value to share, something no one else can give: his or her own experience.
Just for today: I have something valuable to share. I will attend a meeting today and
share my experience in recovery from addiction.