SERVICE
May 18, from “Strengthening My Recovery” daily reader
Service
“Meanwhile, those who are spiritually awake accept Twelve Step work with an attitude of service rather than sacrifice. By the time we reach this Step, we know the difference between being a rescuer and giving service with love.” BRB p. 289
“Placing the Solution and Problem on the walls does not a meeting make. Reading the opening script and closing down the meeting doesn’t make a meeting either. What makes the meeting is the spirit with which these tasks are done. Giving service from a space of love in ACA is a spiritually-enhancing experience for all involved. By the time we have been in ACA for awhile, after having taken the Steps and being graced with a spiritual awakening, our ability to do service from love has also been established.
We know the difference between control and service. We know of tolerance and boundaries. We know how to be thoughtful, realizing we are only seeking to follow the group’s conscience in furtherance of our primary purpose – to carry the message to the suffering adult child who is seeking recovery.
Adult children are attracted to spiritually-awakened ACAs and groups, and wish to help keep the doors open. We realize that were it not for the meeting, we might have little hope of recovering, and we trust each other since our service comes with no strings attached.
On this day I will give service to the ACA fellowship from lave, realizing that I am supporting my own progress when I help make another member’s progress possible.”
My Experience:
I had never been eager to write. I had never written a lot of poetry, let alone share it. I could not share because my obsession with being perfect would not allow it. There are plenty of people that could probably tear it down and say none of my writings are good. In the past that would have devastated me, embarrassed me, and made me feel small. But once in this program I realized that my service work included sharing my pain through poetry. Then I realized I could reach even more people through this blog. All this was done out of giving service with love, sharing hope to those that still suffer and realizing I don’t have to be perfect in order to share my hopes and my dreams. My hope is that I have been able to bring you even the slightest bit of hope.
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