Grey Book Reflection
None of us stumbled into this Fellowship brimming with love, honesty or open-minded willingness. We have all reached the point where it seemed we could not longer continue because of intense pain: physical, mental and spiritual.
Gray Book, p. 32 (Step One, Lines 18-21)
Most members said that for them, Narcotics Anonymous was the last house on the block. Some go on to say that they tried everything else first, but nothing worked, so they continued to use.
Some members said that Narcotics Anonymous was the last thing they tried, but it was the first thing that worked. Our Literature states in Chapter Three, " we tried countless other remedies--counselors, psychiatrists, hospitals, lovers, new towns, new jobs--everything we tried, failed." Our Gray Book goes on to say, "We gave up--quit struggling--surrendered, completely and unconditionally. Then, and only then did we begin to Recover from the disease of addiction.
Only with Total and Complete Surrender to Narcotics Anonymous and its Spiritual Principles did we have a chance. After coming into the N.A.
Program, we realized that we were sick people. Unfortunately, "If you take the drugs away from a drug-crazed maniac, you still have a maniac.' So most of us arrive to N.A. with all our defects and bad habits.
Our lack of Trust of others kept our defenses up, and our minds closed. When the pain of staying the same became greater than the pain of changing, we Surrendered again. Finally, an opening in our closed minds was made, new ideas could be Accepted. Chapter Eight, We Do Recover says it best, "That wordless language of recognition, belief and faith, which we call empathy, created the atmosphere in which we could feel time, touch reality and recognize spiritual values long lost to many of us. "
Practicing the Spiritual Principles of Narcotics Anonymous can result in us, brimming with Love, Honesty and Open-mindedness.