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NA Message Board -> Narcotics Anonymous Message Board -> My car stolen in a Meeting!!
Post Info TOPIC: My car stolen in a Meeting!!
John


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My car stolen in a Meeting!!
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While at a meeting last night, I put my keys, phone and cup of coffee under the seat I was sitting in.  A woman sitting behind me, quietly took my keys and left the meeting. No one in the meeting thought anything of it. I went outside about half way through it, not knowing my keys had been taken... walked into the parking lot to find my car had been stolen! I called the police, I got my car back and she is now in jail. Seems this person might have tried to fight with police or an inmate once in jail, because she is also charged with a simple assault on top of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Watch what you put under your seat in a meeting... it might end up gone before the meeting is over.

I was very pissed about it for about an hour or so.  Just upset that someone in recovery would do such a thing.  I posted something similar as above on my facebook with her sheriff dept. mugshot, which shows full name, date of birth, charges, etc.  Then "suddenly the thought crossed my mind".... Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions,ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.

This woman is obviously still in the grip of the disease.  I am sure she didn't end up in a meeting by mistake.  It saddens me more that someone caught in the grip of this hideous disease can't get a break or "reprieve" for just showing up in the rooms, than the fact my car was taken.  When it has someone wrapped that tight, it is the essence of true powerlessness.  

This morning, my sponsor who saw my post about Valentines day, and being a cupid asked..."did you shoot her with a dose of Love?"

My response was, "yes, I didn't interfere with allowing her to hit the bottom she needs to find.  I allowed her to suffer the consequences of her behavior, which I believe is a by-product of this disease.  I loved her enough to send her to jail, and remove her personal information from my Facebook timeline".  Then he asked.. "If you see her re-enter the rooms, what would you say to her?"  My reply..."Welcome Home".

Then I'd make sure my keys, were in my damn pocket!  

John

24yrslater..jpg



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mikah


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.
...wow,,quite an experience John,,,thanks for sharing the process you went through,,and the -perspective- recovery brings us!...........I'm glad you got the car back,,and applied the 12traditions to the situation


...I remember when a fellow who had been responsible for a multi-person assault on me was in a meeting,,
,,,these events are a true test of the serenity we find in recovery



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...gawd,,,please don't let me -ever- forget why I came here in the first place!!(my 'senility' prayer)
BigV


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Theres a process to EVERY THING that goes on in our lives and we have to stand point guard with our actions, we are supposed to be spiritual beings and thats why prayer often has to come before we do anything our heads/hearts tell us.

 

I had to tell a friend that I didnt want to communicate with her anymore because of her drug use, she'd call me every night after she took her meds, i've had to tell others the same thing and it hurts me to do that but I hate talking to meds.......

After telling her that i was cutting communication off I got the dope fiend wrath, ANGER, heard the denial, then i started feeling guilt but sometimes we need to be told the truth and it hurts, people told me about myself and what i was doing that hurt them and it got me closer to wanting to be clean , and it wasnt easy for them to do .

 

tough love is hard to practice,



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mikah


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.

...every person has a 'higher' self (in a good way,lol)
.....a part that's beyond personality,,,a part that existed before we 'forgot' where we came from.

.....I find it helpful to remember that when dealing with people in this life..

....just gotta watch-out for the 'personality' sometimes!biggrinbiggrinbiggrin



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...gawd,,,please don't let me -ever- forget why I came here in the first place!!(my 'senility' prayer)
kitty doyle


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What a rough ride for you. Your reaction was probably similar to most anyone of us but in catching yourself and turning your thought process over to the perspective of recovery is exemplary and to be applauded. Thank you for sharing and know that I'll personally keep your experience in a special retrieval box of memories because it's a common situation (at least where I come from) from which I can draw from.

blessings, kd

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"The Greatest Possession We Have is The 24 Hours Ahead Of Us"
Dave R


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Thanks for sharing and glad you're okay.
It is a reminder to keep my keys (and wallet, phone, etc.) close to me in meetings.

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Davethewave


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And I was upset that my neighbor, who's in the program, took my shoveled out parking place!



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Dave
cdbuckberry


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I'm glad they found your car , I guess you cannot trust who may be sitting next to us at a meeting.I had to hit bottom , lose everything almost to begin the climb out of my addiction.Believe I remember very well where I came from , I will probably never be cured , just addict who has changed for the better.

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Raman


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Oh my God........im thinking that was harsh. Would it have been better to get the car back without the police being involved ? That way, the woman may have understood the meaning of Mercy, which is a Stronger Principle than punishment... I aint got no business judging your action John....Im sure you did the right thing for the right reason in that situation..... Just gainsaying my policy........

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Raman an addict clean and serene just for today in NA Worldwide ; live to love and love to live the NA Way !!!
mikah


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.

...heh,,,for his feelings in the moment,,,methinks it was better to..........'hand it over'!!

...in this case the higher power of the police probably handled it better,,,,and the perpetrator will have some time to think rather than becoming a victim!

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...gawd,,,please don't let me -ever- forget why I came here in the first place!!(my 'senility' prayer)
joe_k


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Sorry, Brother, but no one owns a public parking spot on a public street, even if you shoveled out that spot from snow for an hour. You do not own a spot.

Good for your neighbor in the program for not being fearful and taking what was owned by no one.  You taught her a lesson. The lesson you taught her

is to not be afraid of bullies.

 

 

 



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joe_k


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Your keys got stolen while you were sitting on them?

Practice awareness and mindfulness. Had you been more aware, you would not have lost yours keys.

About a month ago, a girl who from my home group calls me on the phone right as I am walking in to our meeting.

I am a little shocked, because she knows when the meeting starts, and that meeting is sacred time for me, but I am curious, so I don't walk in to the room.

She tells me how embarrassed to tell me that she had no money for groceries or toilet paper or tampons. The girl is lesbian so I was not enticed by anything 

other than an avuncular desire to want to help out someone from my home group.  I tell her that the meeting is starting and that I will text her after the meeting.

We exchange a few text messages. I have reservations about helping her since my intuition is telling me she will screw up, and I hesitate calling her back. She texts me angrily that I am avoiding her. Which I was. In the end, we go to a Walmart, and I put $50 of groceries on my card and she agrees to pay me back in two weeks. Two weeks arrive and no message, no call from her.

 

She begins attacking me in text message saying she lost her new job, and I should not text her so many times (5 texts in one day after two weeks of silence).

I have given fellow addicts lifts, and driven people to meetings when asked. When we go out to a diner after a meeting and someone has been short on cash, I have picked up their tab, but anyone who offers a place to stay, use of his car or money to any addict under 30 is a fucking moron who deserves to lose his money.

 

Now, if this girl called me up and asked for a ride to our meeting, I would do that in a second, or if she asked that I take her to a treatment program, but other than that, driving someone to a meeting, they get no other favors.  I love you for the hour of our meeting and maybe while we are talking outside in the after meeting, but show me a black key tag or I will only laugh inside at your desperate plea for help.



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BigV


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Joe im giving you 1 warning to stop lecturing people and stop jumping on there asses, we dont need to endure all of that and I hope you take a look at that, thanks very much.



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It's all about spirituality...
BigV


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Consequences brings many of us to our knees, we're powerless over our actions when it comes to addiction and this is what the 12 step program will resolve, we become responsible citizens, we mature as adults and we become more spiritual beings and we stay clean.

 

 I think John made the sole decision working with his higher power and experience , we become intuitive like Joe mentioned about how we help others, most of us know whats up with someone just by observing and discerning  them , we do not enable people to continue using thats not our position and responsibility in this program.

 

With that i've decided to close the this thread and discussion, call it intuition. smile



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