Grey Book Reflection
This mass of intensive firsthand experience with all kinds of problem drug users, in all phases of illness and recovery, is unparalleled in therapeutic value.
Gray Book, p. 16 (Chapter Two, Lines 31-33)
Our identification as addicts is one of the most powerful tools we have in the Fellowship. It allows us the ability to show the newcomer our Acceptance over our disease. It shows our Surrender to the Spiritual Principles of Narcotics Anonymous.
This Surrender, in turn, gives the newcomer Hope that one day they also can come to terms with their own disease. Our identification as addicts is only possible if we stop the comparing of our stories or the drugs we used. Chapter Two in our Basic Text tells us that we're not interested in what drugs you used, or who your connections were. We really don't care what it was you did in your active addiction.
We're not interested whether you had money or not, or how many material possessions you have or don't have. Our therapeutic value of one addict helping another starts with Empathy. This means that we feel the pain in your Heart.
It's about meeting you in your state of hopelessness and bringing you Hope. Our firsthand experience makes it possible for us to Help addicts.
Neither doctors, religion, psychiatry, medicine, institutions or counselors can help us. We are the experts in our own Recovery, only we as addicts can reach and Help addicts. Together we can do for each other, which we find impossible to do for ourselves.
Our common illness drove us together, our common Solution Unites us. Our Primary Purpose, to stay Clean and Carry This Message to the addict who still suffers, keeps us together. The Heart of N.A. beats when two addicts share their Recovery.
We will Share a simple, Honest Message of Recovery from addiction, and give Freely what was so Freely given to us.