July 27

For a long time we have been looking for a way out. We tried multiple ways, things and people to stop our using, but nothing worked.

We found out that we could not control our addiction. Beaten down and defeated we sought help from Narcotics Anonymous. Here we met people much like ourselves, whose lives were controlled and ruined by the use of drugs.

These same people were now Happy, Joyous and Free, and they weren't using drugs. They have found a way out, not only did they not use drugs anymore, but they were happy without them. The message of Hope and the Promise of Freedom was evident soon after we entered the rooms of Narcotics Anonymous.

We were told Welcome Home and to Keep Coming Back, and we did. We found what we were always looking for, in Narcotics Anonymous, Unconditional Love. People Loved us until we learned to Love ourselves.

The more we heard other's experiences, the more we heard, "That Wordless Language of Recognition, Belief and Faith, which we call Empathy " Our Identification as addicts is more about the hopeless state we found ourselves from our active addiction, to the Hopeful state we found with others in Narcotics Anonymous. It's a We Program, so We need others to work the Program. Steps One through Eleven begin with the word We, because We need each other for Recovery to work. One Addict Helping Another Is Without Parallel.

Our Basic Text says that, "The Heart of N.A. beats when two addicts share their Recovery. " So we get and use a N.A. Sponsor to work the Steps; as our Spirits Awaken, we share this Gift with others. Our Gratitude is shown by the way we Live.