Protection
All the Traditions have been written through direct experience to protect both individuals of AA and AA’s groups.
When money becomes a driver, living by spiritual principles, the selfless ability to serve others and seek the God of my understanding’s guidance, begins to be jeopardised.
I would not be sober today if I had not been taken through the Twelve Steps by another recovering alcoholic with whom I could identify. Counsellors at the treatment centre I attended helped with certain aspects of my insanity, but it was only those counsellors who were working a Twelve-Step Programme that I could fully relate to. They gave me hope and presented me with suggestions that I was then willing to listen to and then act on.
There are also roles within the AA structure that need to have specific skills, knowledge and experience that are therefore deemed professional by the outside world. These need to be filled and therefore are paid positions. Recovering alcoholics with these skill sets can apply for these positions – a supporting role but not running AA. AA is led by members’ groups via the group conscience.
Every day there are areas of AA responsibility which require constant and full-time attention. Most of them have little to do with directly carrying the message but are vital to the smooth running of our Fellowship as a whole. These responsibilities cannot wait until someone gets round to it, so AA employs special workers. AA therefore does have some paid positions for those qualified – positions that are filled dependent on the applicant’s qualifications.
However, when it comes to carrying the message to the still suffering alcoholic, nothing beats one alcoholic talking with another alcoholic and sharing their experience, strength and hope…
This is truly priceless!
MICHELLE
