Forthe newcomer

[dalin]

To the newcomer,
Coming into NA was challenging eight times around the block and several cigarettes
later. I would often find myself in an unfamiliar environment detached from
those around me. The literature went in one ear and out the other. But there was
something in peoples’ shares that I related to. Sometimes it was simply a member
talking about wanting things to change or that they too felt detached. In other
shares people talked about changes that had occured that were leading them away
from the misery they once knew. It was these little pieces that helped to keep me
clean but continue to feel isolated, angry and generally confused and overwhelmed.
I kept coming back and the more I came back the more I“By sharing the experience of our recovery with newcomers, we
help ourselves stay clean.” (Basic Text, page 95)
To the newcomer,
I came into the rooms about two years ago. I always told myself that meetings
were not my thing. I pictured a bunch of people sitting in a circle crying on
each other’s shoulders. I was glad to see this wasn’t the case at all. I also bumped
into two friends that I’d been out there using with in the past. It gave me a sense
of comfort. They’d been clean a while & I was just starting out. I hadn’t decided to
get alcohol out of my life yet, trying the old “I’ll just drink on weekends”, and when
most of your life has been one long weekend, you know where that’s gonna go. I
relapsed. I came back. I went to meetings high, knowing I needed help. I got
clean. I relapsed again. I then realized I wasn’t absorbing or making the effort to
know what NA’s all about. The suggestions aren’t written in stone. That’s why
they’re suggestions. You make it work for you. If coming to meetings to hang out
and talk with people helps, then that works. Keeping an open mind works.
Reading the literature helps, the stepworking guide. You can do it on your time.
It’s worked for me and still working.
Yours truly,
Anonymous
To the newcomer,
Coming into NA was challenging eight times around the block and several cigarettes
later. I would often find myself in an unfamiliar environment detached from
those around me. The literature went in one ear and out the other. But there was
something in peoples’ shares that I related to. Sometimes it was simply a member
talking about wanting things to change or that they too felt detached. In other
shares people talked about changes that had occured that were leading them away
from the misery they once knew. It was these little pieces that helped to keep me
clean but continue to feel isolated, angry and generally confused and overwhelmed.
I kept coming back and the more I came back the more I“By sharing the experience of our recovery with newcomers, we
help ourselves stay clean.” (Basic Text, page 95)
To the newcomer,
I came into the rooms about two years ago. I always told myself that meetings
were not my thing. I pictured a bunch of people sitting in a circle crying on
each other’s shoulders. I was glad to see this wasn’t the case at all. I also bumped
into two friends that I’d been out there using with in the past. It gave me a sense
of comfort. They’d been clean a while & I was just starting out. I hadn’t decided to
get alcohol out of my life yet, trying the old “I’ll just drink on weekends”, and when
most of your life has been one long weekend, you know where that’s gonna go. I
relapsed. I came back. I went to meetings high, knowing I needed help. I got
clean. I relapsed again. I then realized I wasn’t absorbing or making the effort to
know what NA’s all about. The suggestions aren’t written in stone. That’s why
they’re suggestions. You make it work for you. If coming to meetings to hang out
and talk with people helps, then that works. Keeping an open mind works.
Reading the literature helps, the stepworking guide. You can do it on your time.
It’s worked for me and still working.
Yours truly,
Anonymous
To the newcomer,
Coming into NA was challenging eight times around the block and several cigarettes
later. I would often find myself in an unfamiliar environment detached from
those around me. The literature went in one ear and out the other. But there was
something in peoples’ shares that I related to. Sometimes it was simply a member
talking about wanting things to change or that they too felt detached. In other
shares people talked about changes that had occured that were leading them away
from the misery they once knew. It was these little pieces that helped to keep me
clean but continue to feel isolated, angry and generally confused and overwhelmed.
I kept coming back and the more I came back the more I"By sharing the experience of our recovery with newcomers, we
help ourselves stay clean." (Basic Text, page 95)
To the newcomer,
I came into the rooms about two years ago. I always told myself that meetings
were not my thing. I pictured a bunch of people sitting in a circle crying on
each other's shoulders. I was glad to see this wasn't the case at all. I also bumped
into two friends that I'd been out there using with in the past. It gave me a sense
of comfort. They'd been clean a while & I was just starting out. I hadn't decided to
get alcohol out of my life yet, trying the old "I'll just drink on weekends", and when
most of your life has been one long weekend, you know where that's gonna go. I
relapsed. I came back. I went to meetings high, knowing I needed help. I got
clean. I relapsed again. I then realized I wasn't absorbing or making the effort to
know what NA's all about. The suggestions aren't written in stone. That's why
they're suggestions. You make it work for you. If coming to meetings to hang out
and talk with people helps, then that works. Keeping an open mind works.
Reading the literature helps, the stepworking guide. You can do it on your time.
It's worked for me and still working.
Yours truly,
Anonymous
To the newcomer,
Coming into NA was challenging eight times around the block and several cigarettes
later. I would often find myself in an unfamiliar environment detached from
those around me. The literature went in one ear and out the other. But there was
something in peoples' shares that I related to. Sometimes it was simply a member
talking about wanting things to change or that they too felt detached. In other
shares people talked about changes that had occured that were leading them away
from the misery they once knew. It was these little pieces that helped to keep me
clean but continue to feel isolated, angry and generally confused and overwhelmed.

[dalin]

While at a meeting, you might hear some sayings

that you can’t quite understand. We’re

here to help you sort it all out!

SECRETS GROW IN THE DARK:

If it’s locked in your head, it just gets bigger

and wilder. If you expose it, bring it to the

light, it begins to lose its power.

THE MASKS HAVE TO GO:

Unless you work for the circus, or some other

identity, the masks have to go. Being a

chameleon is not a requirement. In other

words, stop hiding behind the mask, and start

exposing your true self.

DO THE STEPS OR DIE M.....F..... (fill in

the blanks)

The steps give you the opportunity you’ve

been looking for to go in there and grab the

bull (or in this case the disease) by the horn.

The steps also show you the way to the light.

YOU CAN’T SAVE YOUR ASS AND YOUR

FACE AT THE SAME TIME

Time to get honest! Get to the core. The BS

has got to go. A little humility goes a long

way.

FEELING IS HEALING

The more you talk, the better you feel. The

better you feel, the better you heal. Crying

is healing, crying is feeling. Feeling and healing

is like giving and taking.

DON’T LEAVE UNTIL THE MIRACLE

HAPPENS

You’ve come to realize that the miracle has

happened/is happening. Everyday clean is a

miracle. To be powerless and surrendering is

a miracle.

INSANITY IS DOING THE SAME THING

OVER AND EXPECTING DIFFERENT

RESULTS

Despite the warning signs that our drug use

was out of control, we continued trying to justify

it. On the other side of the coin, being

restored to sanity means that we longer have

to use drugs.

***************************

As our recovery progressed, we became increasingly

aware of ourselves and the world around us.

Our needs and wants, our assets and liabilities

were revealed to us. We came to realize that we

had no power to change the outside world, we

could only change ourselves. The Program of

Narcotics Anonymous provides an opportunity for

us to ease the pain of living through spiritual principles.

We are very fortunate to have had this program.

Before, very few people recognized that addiction

was a disease. Recovery was only a dream.

The responsible, productive, drug-free lives of

thousands of members illustrate the effectiveness

of our program. Recovery is a reality for us

today. By working the steps, we are rebuilding our

fractured personalities. Narcotics Anonymous is a

healthy environment for growth. As a fellowship,

we love and cherish one another, supporting our

new way of life together.

(Basic Text, Chapter 10).



Why it’s important to follow suggestions (and
remember, they are not orders):
When we don’t follow some suggestions, there is a
tendency to go back to our old ways. Suggestions
can mean to step out of your own way or learning
from others what works and what doesn’t work for
them. Suggestions also show you the way when we
think nothing else will work.
Try 90 meetings in 90 days (and don’t forget the
meetings after the meetings). It’s an opportunity
to share and exchange phone numbers and build
friendships.
No matter what, always keep coming back
(because it works if you work it).
Service is one of the four legs of recovery (if you
want to know the other three, keep coming back
to meetings).
Alexandre
(8 years)
*********************************************



To Whom It May Concern:
I’d like to express my gratitude for all the love
and good wishes I received on my recent celebration
night. Thank you for all contributing to my
memory book and for the kind words you wrote. I
understand how I make a difference through you.
You see me as I am today and thankfully some of
you remember me in the beginning. I didn’t show
up the me of today. I didn’t even know who I was.
I could be anyone you wanted me to be and I was
willing to do anything just so you would love me. I
just wanted to stop using and killing myself slowly
with every hit. I tried real hard in the beginning
of my recovery to not stay. I was different or I
thought so until I heard your pain which helped me
feel my pain and the healing began. It’s not been
an easy journey at times and some of the storms
in my life were more than I thought I could bear.
I got through them with your help, you listened to
my pain and the healing continued.
I heard it said that we are here to comfort the
disturbed and disturb the comfortable, thank you
for doing both for me.
I only take credit for getting to meetings when I
didn’t want to and staying even though I wanted to
leave. I kept coming back no matter what because
I didn’t know what else to do and by my own convoluted
thinking I certainly learned what not to do
in my 30 some years of using.
NA teaches me everything I know today, this is
where I come to learn how to live in the real
world.
NA gave me “the ways and means” to live life on
life’s terms, spiritually awake and emotionally
aware.
I fall short sometimes or miss the mark, however
I know today that even though I make mistakes, I
can learn from them and hopefully not repeat
them too often. It’s about progress after all, not
perfection. The best gift for me is that I now
know I am not the mistake.
I learned that there are five things I need to do
to stay clean and partake in the NA promise:
- In the beginning, do 90 meetings in 90 days,
then attend meetings regularly
- Get a sponsor (preferably of the same gender)
- Join a home group and participate in the running
of the meeting
- DO SERVICE
- Learn to pray. This is after all, God’s program.
I’m a walking talking miracle, so keep coming back
and don’t leave till the miracle happens for you.
With love and a hug, I am an addict named
Lucille
(8 years)

[shydawg]

Great Stuff !! i needed to read some of that today . Love this blunt & to the pt. esp about masks must go .. being honest .. can't save your ass & your face at the same time .. Do the steps M'F' . its a simple program for complicated ppl .. I understand when we put the drugs down we start feeling all these emotions & feelins . that sometimes are unpleasant . but thats where the healing begins we use the steps to look inside & heal from within. thats what we are striving for after all .. thanks for posting this my friend