In order to give freely we must first take down the walls of personal secrecy and begin to share who we are and not judge what we learn about others. As a word of caution, let me say with some things we may need to be careful to whom and what we disclose, but for the most part we should feel free to “share our experience, strength and hope with each other”.
If a mechanic is going to fix my car they need to know a little history of my driving. If my doctor is going to prescribe the right medication, he/she will need to know my symptoms. The same is true with recovery. “We are only as sick as our secrets”.
Relate and relationship
Relate is to bring into or establish association, connection, relationship is an emotional or other connection between people:
- We first begin to relating to who we are and what we hope to become
- We make a commitment to a plan of recovery that mandates I look at me objectively/fairly
- When we take a positive active interest in others we encourage them to share things about themselves.
- We and they can come to a greater understanding that there are more similarities in us than differences between us.
- We are then practicing the First Tradition of Recovery. “Our common welfare should come first. Personal recovery depends upon AA/NA unity”.
- We teach and learn as a method of celebrating the new relational me
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Robert Pardon
Robert is the Recovery Guy. Getting clean and sober on April 25, 1986 has given me the insight and practical skill set to not only stay sober, but to also re-invent myself to the person I always wanted to become. Showing others how to do this is my life goal.
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