Tradition One
It's taken me quite a while in the Rooms to realise just how vital the Traditions are.
Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon AA unity.
It’s taken me quite a while in the Rooms to realise just how vital the Traditions are. And this one right at the beginning helps me to realise how important it is to put my own thoughts, beliefs and preconceptions aside when necessary for the good of the whole group. Of course, there are going to be people who I disagree with, who say things I don’t agree with or who work their Programme in a different way. There already are, for sure. But when I come up against such people, I have to remember that they are ill like me and rarely if ever deliberately meant to cause hurt or offence. Even if they do it, it’s their own sickness kicking in. And, more importantly, I cannot control how others speak or act, I can only control my own response to their words or deeds.
Sometimes I have thoughts of how people should act or how the Programme should be worked. This Tradition helps me realise that such thoughts are my own arrogance or ego - my own defects and thus my alcoholism - kicking in and thus I need to put them aside for the good of the Programme as a whole. Only by maintaining that unity of the group as a whole can I keep getting better, keep recovering from this horrible illness.
I will never forget the warmth and comradeship I felt when first entering the Rooms of AA, that wonderful bond which continues to shape my life to this day. This Tradition ensures that bond stays strong and keeps providing support for all of us, thus it remains vitally important that I do what I can to help maintain that bond of Fellowship in any way I can. It can be by doing service, or by being a friendly, understanding voice on the end of a telephone, or even something as small as keeping my mouth shut even when another person in the Rooms says something I really disagree with. This amazing bond the Programme has forged has helped keep me safe and sane for over two years now - and now I finally see how important it is to maintain it for others.
Thank you all for helping me to stay sober.
ROBBIE H, Northampton