“As we each work the program in our own special way, we discover the spiritual principles that we all have in common. We are all unique examples of how the program works, each of us with our distinct gifts to share.”

– Life with Hope, second edition, page 69

In the beginning of my recovery, I needed to take a lot. I had very little to give, but I could set up chairs or help arrange the literature at a meeting. I then mirrored what was done for me; I said hello to new faces and welcomed them to our meeting. I made and accepted program calls. When I finished my Steps, my sponsor said I could now practice Step Twelve and become a sponsor myself. The selflessness and accountability to another person required of a sponsor was a gift I never could have imagined. It is often said that a sponsor gets just as much from the sponsee as the inverse. I have been at severe lows in my recovery when a call from a sponsee picked me up and reminded me I am not alone, or distracted me from my own thoughts.

I was given lessons on how to apply the principles of recovery, traditions, and concepts of service in this work. Whether I said hello to a newcomer, served in the District, or sponsored other marijuana addicts, I have always found ways to be of service in recovery. As I find ways to share my own gifts of sobriety, my once damaged self-esteem grows and I can experience love and faith in my daily life as I never did before Marijuana Anonymous. We contribute to the legacy of this program which ensures that a strong and unified fellowship is available to the marijuana addict who still suffers and that what was given so freely to us is available for those who follow. In loving service, we recover.

Final thought: Today, with a powerful example from my sponsor, I know service keeps me clean.