[bluidkiti]

June 10

Quote of the Week

"We go to meetings for relief; we work the Steps for recovery."

It happens every time: I always feel better after a meeting. Regardless of what’s going on or what my mood is, after a meeting I always feel more centered, more connected, and more at peace. The only problem is that this relief doesn’t last very long. Once I’m back in the world or in my routine, the effects of the meeting wear off, and I often find myself irritable, restless, or discontented.

I was taught a long time ago that meetings were an important part of my program, but they wouldn’t give me the recovery I needed. Only the Twelve Steps would do that. Working the Steps causes the needed transformation of my personality, which leads to a spiritual experience. And it is this spiritual experience that results in the miracle of recovery.

Even though I have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state, I am reminded that I still have a disease. This is where meetings help me. When I become anxious or uncomfortable, I know that my regular meeting schedule provides the relief and the reminders I need. But I also know that I must keep working the Twelve Steps of the program to experience the recovery that saves my life.