Tafakari ya Kitabu cha Kijivu
Patience is the great method of the Fellowship. The unconditional love we experience will rejuvenate our will to live and each positive move on our part will be matched by an unexpected opportunity.
Gray Book, p. 54 (Step Nine, Lines 17-20)
One of our slogans in our Gray Book is, "Take It Easy. " In active addiction it wasn't about taking it easy, or easy does it, and definitely not Patience. As using addicts it was about instant gratification, and more of it.
We used to live and lived to use. When we were running out of drugs, we found the means and ways to use more, we just couldn't get enough.
This made waiting for anything in our Lives difficult. We were looking for the same results the drugs gave us, instantly.
Coming into Narcotics Anonymous we heard that TIME meant, "Things I Must Earn. " We also were told that Recovery was an overtime process not overnight. We learned to Live In The Moment and stay in the day.
We experienced Love and Patience from the other members, toward us. The Unconditional Love and Acceptance we received Helped us develop Patience with ourselves, and later with others. Although we were seeking micro-wave Recovery, we knew we had to work for it. The Literature reminds us that we did not become addicts overnight, so getting better would take time and effort on our part.
As we Work and Live the Steps with the Guidance of a Higher Power, our Sponsors and the Fellowship of Narcotics Anonymous, we experience an Awakening of our Spirits. We do the footwork and leave the results to the God Of Our Own Understanding.
Our Faith increases; we start to see the results of Recovery in our Lives. We experience the Message of Hope and the Promise of Freedom our Message talks about. Since addiction affected every area of our Lives, we have to Practice these Spiritual Principles in every area as well.
One of the ways we Practice these Spiritual Principles is by serving others in our Program. We do Service, keeping in mind that Service is for those we serve. Our Recovery blossoms, and we lose self-obsession when we get out of self and help others. Narcotics Anonymous offers Spiritual Unlimited Growth as we Live The Steps and Traditions.
In This Moment: We will show the same Patience and Unconditional Love that was shown to us in our beginnings, to the newcomers and other members in Narcotics Anonymous.