Narcotics Anonymous offers only one promise, and that is freedom from active addiction...
Basic Text, p. 106
=
Imagine how it might be if we had arrived at the doors of Narcotics Anonymous, desperate, wanting to stop using drugs, only to be met by a sales pitch: If you just work the steps and dont use drugs, youll get married, live in the suburbs, have 2.6 children, and start wearing polyester. You will become a responsible, productive member of society and be fit company for kings and presidents. You will be rich and have a dynamic career. Most of us, greeted with such a heavy-handed spiel, would have shrieked and bolted for the door.
Instead of high-pressure nonsense and frightening predictions, we are greeted with a promise of hope: freedom from active addiction. We feel a blessed relief come over us when we hear that we never have to use drugs again. We arent going to be forced to become anything!
Of course, after some time in recovery, good things start happening in our lives. We are given giftsspiritual gifts, material gifts, gifts that weve always dreamed of but never dared hope wed get. These, however, are truly giftsthey are not promised to us just because we become NA members. All we are promised is freedom from addictionand its more than enough!
=
Just for today: I have been promised freedom from active addiction. The gifts I receive are the benefits of recovery.
