July 21

For the Recovering addict using drugs usually comes at the end of a relapse. Many members with substantial clean time sometimes fail to see its beginning.

Spiritual Complacency is the beginning of the relapse process. As we travel on this Journey of Recovery, our Lives start to get busier. Our Literature tells us that part of our Recovery is to become Productive, Acceptable, and Responsible members of Society.

It also tells us that Social Acceptability does not equal Recovery. Our Primary Purpose is to get Clean, Live these Spiritual Principles in all of our affairs, and carry the Narcotics Anonymous Message to the suffering addict seeking Recovery. Some symptoms of Recovery are that we receive Gifts.

Some members start to Live Life to the fullest. Some of us become employed, some get married and start Families.

These Gifts mentioned should not be connected to our Recovery. We have to work the Program whether these things are in our Lives or not. Material things are not the point or purpose of our Recovery.

Even some of our richest members always had material possessions after they hit bottom. That didn't Help them get or stay Clean and in Recovery. Some of us get too busy to Recover, and we start to slight in our Program. This is the beginning of the Relapse process, and if we don't recommit to our Program, the Recovery process ceases, and we can find ourselves hopeless, isolating and eventually returning to using drugs once again.

By working with others and continuing to Practice the Basics, we will never have to return to the Basics. Our Program is an Uphill Journey, so standing still will cause us to backside. What worked for us in the beginning of our Recovery can continue to work for us Today.