In AA, there are three distinct legacies: Recovery, Unity and Service. While Recovery (the Steps) heal our spirits and Unity (the Traditions) protect our groups, Service is the action that keeps the entire fellowship alive and keeps us sober by turning our attention outward. Bill W. wrote that service is anything that helps us reach another alcoholic – whether that’s sweeping the floor, answering the phone, sponsoring a newcomer. The first sentence in Chapter 7 – Working with Others states “Practical experience shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking as intensive work with other alcoholics.” Service is intertwined in so many of the Big Book pages and stories.
Working with another alcoholic one-on-one in my early years of recovery was life changing. My first sponsor read the Big Book with me and we discussed the pages. I learned a lot about myself through words that were written many years before I was even born. It also gave me one person to share my “woes” with vs. spewing them to everyone that would listen so I felt validated (see I am NOT the problem). I have to admit that this was really hard in the beginning. I thought she would fire me cause I really wanted validation and she kept telling me I played a part. One of the greatest gifts she gave me was the ability to “reach out” to another alcoholic. I did not want to pick up that phone, but she suggested I reach out to 3 different people a week to help me get comfortable. Luckily, it could be in the form of a text and not “have” to be a call. It was uncomfortable at first, but every time I did it and the person wrote back, I found relief from whatever I was experiencing because I focused on someone else for 5 minutes.
Working with others and wanting to keep the doors of AA open, also means that we need people to fill important roles within our Group, our District and AA World Service. There are several A.A. approved pamphlets about service that you can read. “Circles of Love and Service” (P-45) is a good one to start with if you are new to A.A. I was encouraged to take a service position in my Home Group. Service work in a group setting certainly has helped this alcoholic learn that she is not in charge; that other people’s opinions matter and are actually good ideas; and that two people can have differing opinions and still like each other. Did I know when I came to AA that service work would help me this way? No, I just wanted relief from alcohol and my head. The Traditions really are important. Left to my own devices or defects, confrontation would ensue and my ego would get hurt. Without the program, I would use this to drink. I by no means do this perfectly, But practice sure does give me opportunities to grow. And my HP is giving me plenty of opportunities lately,
I currently hold a service position at our District level, in my Home Group and here at GROW. Without these positions, I don’t think I would be in AA today. Too often does my head tell me that “no one cares” or ” no one wants to hear from me – that my story or words are not important”. Since I am also a people pleaser – I do not like to let people down. So I show up. I committed to a position and I want the doors to remain open for the next suffering alcoholic. So many times I do not want to go to a meeting, and yet I go and then hear something that I needed to hear. My HP has a great way of doing that. I am also learning that “why” I am doing something is also important. Do I show up to AA because they need me or because I need it? If I take my ego out of the equation, I am simply showing up and the rest is up to HP. My story or words are there for me to share and how they are interpreted or used to help (or not) someone, is up to HP. I find when I let go of the result or my ego, I see others and I actually am more open to other people. I have come to love so many of the GROW ladies that I have never even met. Their shares comfort me and remind me that I am not alone – yet we are miles away from each other. What a gift. Thank God I have this program.