“Within the fellowship, we found that many of us had done the same kinds of things, had felt the same, and had experienced similar thoughts.”

– Life with Hope, first edition, page 17

This too shall pass. Remember nobody’s perfect. We are human beings and sometimes that has to be enough. It’s not always the disease. In my addiction, I had no choice but to use marijuana when confronted with personal problems. In recovery, I get the opportunity to accept my humanity, to turn toward the pain rather than mask it with addictive substances and behaviors. Just for today, I will reach out and tell another addict about my personal problems, not for a fix, but to let them know what’s going on. Our fellows often become our closest friends, and in this way we are doubly lucky.

Final thought: Carrying the message of recovery doesn’t have to be going to a meeting or sponsoring somebody. It can be listening with a nonjudgmental ear, holding a space for the newcomer in our hearts, and giving back the gift that was so freely given to us.