Читать книгу Our Twelve Traditions - Группа авторов - Страница 15

January 1998

I will never forget the first time I really understood the meaning of Tradition One and how important our common welfare was to me personally. I was sitting in my home group meeting one morning a little after 7 A.M., not quite awake but aware that I was safe and among friends. These were the people who’d been there for me as I learned how to stay sober and live a life of love and service. Through the sharing of their own experience, I’ve learned the spiritual principles of the Steps and Traditions.

My home group is a large group that meets six days a week, has a lot of long-term sobriety and a very strong service structure. The monthly home group meetings (what we call business meetings) are often focused on what we can do to better carry the AA message to the newcomer. We celebrate birthdays by giving away AA literature and Grapevine. The minority is respected and encouraged to speak. As a result of this concerted effort to examine ourselves, our group continued to grow and prosper and attract newcomers.

That morning, a fellow (a new face) stood and began to hold forth, to preach really, about the Bible. Suddenly, I was no longer in a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous but in a revival meeting. I was extremely uncomfortable and fearful. I wanted to say something, to interrupt him, but either I couldn’t figure out a way to do it so as not to embarrass him or myself or I didn’t have the courage. So I sat there looking at my feet, feeling miserable and hoping that any newcomers in the room would somehow know that this was not the message of AA.

After a few minutes, a member of the group interrupted the man—rather gruffly everyone later agreed—and told him that this was an AA meeting and that we really didn’t want to hear about the Bible, and he asked him to sit down. The room heaved a silent and collective sigh of relief. Thank goodness someone had thought more of the group, thought more of our common welfare than of his own ego, and had the courage to speak up. There were a few seconds of awkward silence before the chairperson quickly called on someone else and the meeting got back on its normal footing.

Naturally, this incident was a topic of much discussion at the next home group meeting. It provided the basis for a lengthy discussion about Tradition One and how we could deal with disruptive people in the future. We all worried that telling someone that their sharing wasn’t appropriate might jeopardize their sobriety. If embarrassed they might go out and drink. Others felt strongly that the welfare of the group as a whole was more important and that we had a responsibility to the newcomer to carry the message of AA. If our group failed in our primary purpose, newcomers would not be attracted to our meetings or worse yet, would not stay.

The result of this discussion was increased unity for the group. Everyone had their say and in the end we agreed that our common welfare as a group must come first. We would do our best to lovingly explain Tradition One to anyone who disrupted the group.

To participate in God’s will through the group conscience process was a tremendous spiritual experience to me. I understood that in being a member of AA and of my home group, I was a part of something much greater than I was. For this I am truly grateful. The principle of putting AA’s welfare above my own self-interest teaches me humility and self-sacrifice. These are principles that do not come naturally to a “me-first” alcoholic. But it’s a tremendous way to live.

Anonymous

Maui, Hawaii