TRADITION FIVE

May 30, from “Strengthening My Recovery” daily reader

“When carrying the ACA message, we stick to our story and to the principles of recovery. We don’t proselytize, bully, evangelize, or manipulate the person we are attempting to help.” BRB p. 516

“The focus of a single purpose guarantees that we are never going to be distracted by other tempting glittery objects. We do one thing only -we carry the message to the adult child who still suffers.

We may be tempted to run into our communities and raise an ACA banner proclaiming the virtues of the program and the obvious need for the 12 Steps to address many social ills. We know there are more people who need the program than those who truly want it.

However, Tradition Five does not require us to “convince” anyone. Experience has shown that if a person lacks the willingness to change, they are unlikely to receive the ACA message well.

So we carry the message to those adult children who still suffer and we move forward, living the principles of the program. We do what we can to ensure the meetings are available to all who want them. And we learn to let go of those who don’t respond to the message.

We humbly realize that each person has a Higher Power available to them, which is the only thing that can help them find the willingness to hear the message.

On this day I will carry the message in a manner that follows Tradition Five. I will remember, above all, that I carry the message in my daily life through my own recovery.”

My Experience:

What a blessing this is, “we carry the message to the adult child who still suffers.”  Without it, I would not be here today, healing.  A meeting was available, people were friendly, they did not turn me off with evangelizing or proselytizing.  They were there with a kind smile, a warm hug, and honesty flowing from them.  This is what I now offer to those that still suffer.  Hope to see you soon!

Blog:  www.bkcoates.com

Instagram:  bkcoates

Facebook: brian coates

Twitter: @cornbread182