Today I was thinking of a number of things, which have contributed to my sobriety. A couple of these relate to that Fifth Tradition. The purpose of our meetings, I know how important these are to someone like me. Often time I think we’re not really covering the purpose. Often times we get locked up in trying to comfort people’s discomfort with things. Worries, relationships, feelings, and a number of things, which we have to try to get related to staying sober a day at a time.
Part of why I stopped to think about this is the “long form”. I say it this way, because the long form is so short. It’s really the beginning of this tradition. Simply stated it says, The group ought to be a spiritual entity…
But it’s primary purpose is to carry the AA message to the suffering alcoholic. That could be a new person or an old timer. And what’s the message? It’s about staying sober a day at a time. I know that’s what has always worked for me over time. But I also know that it was over time that we stopped talking about the Steps and how this program works. We got so that we wanted to encourage others to talk about their problems.
I know from my own experience, having grown up in the old form meetings, which were about the Steps and the Traditions. In the past the group was encouraged to talk and share our problems with our sponsors and old timers outside the meetings. We needed to talk about what makes this program work and what it is that keeps us sober. The Steps. The AA literature. Always helped me along the way. But over time, especially when rehabs and detoxes opened up, people came in from those places with all these things they had been given in their “training” in them.
Anyway I always have to back off and think about what makes this program work for me and others like myself. Often after meetings I try to get into things which are important to our staying sober a day at a time.
I know I am always grateful for what this program gave me back then. It changed my life. It keeps me sober. These great gifts I have been given, starting with being able to stay sober. And then the peace and happiness, the serenity, the spiritual way of life. my Higher Power, the restoration to sanity, the spiritual awakening. I have to step back and give thanks to my old sponsor, those old timers back then, the program itself, and all those in here, who have contributed so much to my sobriety. And, of course my Higher Power, who helps me to stay sober. And hope, faith, and love, which I have been given. Need to say thanks.