“Our primary purpose is to stay free of marijuana and to help the marijuana addict who still suffers achieve the same freedom.”

– MA Preamble, Life with Hope, first edition, page xi

Before I started down the path of recovery, the idea that I would discover a “primary purpose” for my life always seemed like a fantasy. I had to stop smoking weed, and I couldn’t even do that. I was hopeless.
It was only after I entered recovery, admitted my powerlessness over marijuana and other mood and mind-altering substances that I began to discover who I was. It took all the struggles and pain my life could serve up before I really admitted I had no idea how to live life, how to stop smoking, or how to live up to the ideals I had about myself.

Now I have a primary purpose. It is founded upon the spiritual principles of the 12 Steps, such as honesty, humility, willingness, and courage, and the resulting goals of serenity and compassion. My dreams have taken on new meaning as I develop more and more self-confidence, and it all started with staying clean one day at a time. Quitting weed was just the first step. Now it is my responsibility to continue growing into a fuller expression of my spiritual recovery, empowerment, and freedom.

Final thought: Today, my primary purpose is to be of maximum service to my Higher Power and my fellows, especially the ones suffering from addiction.