We can enjoy our families in a new way and may become a credit to them instead of an embarrassment or a burden.
Basic Text, p. 104
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Were doing great in recovery, arent we? We go to a meeting every day, we spend every evening with our friends in the fellowship, and every weekend we dash off to a service workshop. But if things are falling to pieces at home, were not doing so great after all.
We expect our families to understand. After all, were not using drugs anymore. Why dont they recognize our progress? Dont they understand how important our meetings, our service, and our involvement with the fellowship are?
Our families will not appreciate the change NA is working in our lives unless we show them. If we rush off to a meeting the same way we rushed off to use drugs, what has changed? If we continue to ignore the needs and desires of our partners and children, failing to accept our responsibilities at home, we arent practicing these principles in all our affairs.
We must live the program everywhere we go, in everything we do. If we want the spiritual life to be more than a theory, we have to live it at home. When we do this, the people we share our lives with are sure to notice the change and be grateful that weve found NA.
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Just for today: I will take my recovery home with me.
Working my program at home--with my family and other relationships--can be very difficult. But I need to do this. Recovery is not just for relationships in NA but all relationships.
Thank God for this meditation because it points out that maybe I did take my recovery home with me. For 5 years prior to getting married, I went to meetings and service workshops and hung out with others in recovery but once I got married, I only attended meetings while my husband was doing his 2 week trainings with the National Guard (pre 9/11) and I still managed to stay clean, maybe I didn't really have a program but I was not using and I still read my NA Basic Text and other recovering books and I never hid my past from my children. If I didn't have a baby sitter, I would take them to meetings with me. My oldest is now 21 and he still remembers meetings and activities he attended when he was 9 or 10. The message has still stuck with him and it helped him, especially after his return from Afghanistan when almost all of his buddies were getting drunk and taking pills in order to cope with the Post Tramatic Stress of combat, he was able to find alternatives to dealing with the same issues with drinking or doping, but anyway, I'm rambling now I'm just glad I was able to take my recovery home.
Oh yeah, Band rehearsals on saturday,Men Do Recover ,3-4;30 Saturday afternoon(all mens meeting)Home group Monday night(every Mon)Gym everydy after work,(run,stretch,lift)other addicts anniversaries,speaking commitments,Naranon thursdays,fortunately hunting season is over(from October until December,,,,oh yeah!! Yup whats the difference if Im "GONE' DOING THIS or if I out on the tiles wheeling/dealing /squealing and all me...STILL GONE" hard for those at home to see the change huh!! Work very hard at all times to keep the balance,focus and get the "me" thing put in the back....I just say Im not able in many situations!Im going to the "mall with my wife"!!!! (oh shades of pain:) :)Have a blessed and productive day!!!
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Our purpose is to remain clean,just for today,and to carry the message of recovery.
I have spoken to many old timers about whats the hardest place to practice spiritual principles. Nearly everyone of them said in there homes and with family and spouces.
This is true for me definetly 100%. The hardest place has been with my ex girlfriend, yeah still in touch with her and I had to tell her a few nioghts ago that what i needed was a lot less contact, like dont call me dailiy and dont text me, I told her if she needed me she could call but it needed to be an emergency. I wanted to say more about how hurt I was that she didnt want a full on relationship LOL ( yeah all about me me me ) but the hard part is she doesnt and she's got other interests now ( someone with more money who can take care of her LOL) see what i mean? somethings dont need to be said and we recognize other people who are sick and give them patience , tolerance , love, we let them go...
