“Here is where I realized what this program is really about – the deflation of my ego. The program taught me that humility is the solution and learning to be humble was the answer to my ego problem.”

– My Best Thinking Got Me Here, Life with Hope, second edition, page 177

I was full of myself when I came into Marijuana Anonymous. I was self-centered and incapable of seeing the world through anyone else’s perspective but my own. My ego was my own worst enemy. I was always worried that I wouldn’t get what I wanted and I lived in perpetual fear. When I came to my first MA meeting there wasn’t really any other place for me to go. I had burned many bridges and had few friends who wanted me around.

I was amazed at what I heard and for the first time in a long time felt like I belonged somewhere. As I got into recovery I was asked to do service, set up chairs, greet people at the door, and then chair meetings and take on service commitments. As I worked these Steps I learned new principles that allowed me to overcome my fear and ego and to start seeing the world through a new set of eyes. I learned that it wasn’t all about me. The more I put the thoughts of others in front of my own, the more my world opened. I understood that humility is the true goal of this program.

Final thought: Today, I will let go of what I want and work on how I can be of service to others.