One of those words, which seem to be tough, is the word “unity”. And this is what the First Tradition is all about in our program. The idea of unity came about, as the result of near destruction of our groups in the past. The need to focus on why we are here, and to stay focused.
We had one group nearby, which collapsed because it was on a number of other subjects instead of alcohol. That led to groups having to unite and focus on alcoholic sobriety and nothing else. The statement here and other places, as far down as Texas, begins with reading “This is a closed meeting of AA…” Again it’s about unity.
I learned, back at the beginning of my getting sober, that I had to continually remember why I am here. I am here to stay sober a day at a time. So each and everyday I have to be reminded and to remember this. Near the beginning of my membership in this program I saw what happens, when we forget. My first sponsor went back out and drank again and died. So did another friend of mine. They both had ten year sobriety, when this happened.
This was a wake up call for me. I went and got an old timer in this program, who knew I had surrendered in the First Step. But he was right on the money, when he challenged my thinking. He told me that I didn’t know that I didn’t know. I only thought I did. And that woke me up.
I later learned from others that they had suffered from the same thing. Not only that, but I have heard it over and over in here. It was back then that he introduced me to the Second Step and opened the door to living a spiritual life in here. And that was
what helped me to grow in a relationship with my Higher Power. And this helped me to begin the rest of the Twelve Steps and changed me over time in here. And then the Twelve Traditions.
These Traditions teach us what AA learned a long time ago, that without unity AA will die. And from time to time groups have gone and suffered from divisiveness and collapsed. They forgot to focus on why we are here: to stay sober from alcohol a day at a time and nothing else. Like I said, I know that I not only learned this, but I have experienced what has happened, when unity goes away.