Pat Gillen from Lansdale, PA shares on the Daily Reflection for August 30th, The Only Requirement.
THE ONLY REQUIREMENT . . .
"At one time . . . every A. A. group had many membership rules. Everybody was scared witless that something or somebody would capsize the boat. . . . The total list was a mile long. If all those rules had been in effect everywhere, nobody could have possibly joined A.A. at all, . . . "
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, pp. 139-40
I'm grateful that the Third Tradition only requires of me a desire to stop drinking. I had been breaking promises for years. In the Fellowship I didn't have to make promises, I didn't have to concentrate. It only required my attending one meeting, in a foggy condition, to know I was home. I didn't have to pledge undying love. Here, strangers hugged me. "It gets better," they said, and "One day at a time, you can do it." They were no longer strangers, but caring friends. I ask God to help me to reach out to people desiring sobriety, and to, please, keep me grateful!
From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
Need the Daily Reflection Book?
Read about Recovery on our Blog
Support the Podcast:
- On Patreon: https://patreon.com/dailyreflection
- On PayPal: https://paypal.me/dailyreflection
If you’re struggling with alcohol or addiction, or wondering how to stop drinking it’s helpful to know that there’s a solution that has worked for millions of people. The Daily Reflection Podcast provides hope, and inspiration through the shared experiences of people that have found a way out.