Grey Book Reflection
This is our road to spiritual growth, to change our character, day by day, to gradually, carefully and simply pull ourselves out of the isolation and loneliness of addiction into this mainstream of useful Fellowship.
Gray Book, p. 49 (Step Seven, Lines 31-35)
The road to Spiritual Growth is sometimes a painful, Joyous, and at times a tedious path. The word "gradually" seems to let us know that it happens overtime not overnight.
The word "carefully" in this quote implies that we remain vigilant. Recovery is a slow process, but it is progressive.
The Steps and Traditions of Narcotics Anonymous is a blueprint for Life. It is also the instructions on how to Change. Our Spiritual Awakenings has to be followed by a Change in our attitudes and behaviors.
We have to replace our old habits with new habits, that are conducive to our Recovery. We must always guard our Recovery no matter how long we've been Recovering. Some people, places and things can be detrimental to our New Way of Life.
The way we Lived in isolation, in the past, can cause us to sometimes be unaware of the daily traps that Life itself may incur. Devolving our new character through working the Steps, helps us avoid some of these pitfalls. We heard from others that people and the Fellowship can fail you, but the Program won't. The Gray Book tells us, "From the isolation of our addiction, we were thrust into a fellowship of people with a common bond: addiction, N.A. is like a lifeboat in a sea of isolation, unwillingness and chemicals." We Thank N.A. for God, and we Thank God for N.A.
Through Living the Steps with the Help of God, Sponsors and the Fellowship of Narcotics Anonymous, we will avoid some of the obstacles and pitfalls on this Spiritual Path.