“Service work provides the backbone of our MA; if there is no service, there is no program… It is our responsibility to do what we can to make sure that MA continues to be there for us, for the marijuana addict who still suffers, and for the addict who is not yet born.”

– Life with Hope, second edition, page 65

It is said in the rooms over and over that service will keep me clean, but I think people miss that service also keeps Marijuana Anonymous alive. From starting new meetings to attending a meeting and not saying a word, every act of service gives my program of recovery a day more of life. In turn, it gives life back to the addict who is still suffering, close to spiritual death. It is through my continuous dedication to recovery that I show others the gifts I receive, and it is through service that I give back what was so freely given.

There is a unique feeling of completion that comes with helping another addict. Service can also occur at work, church, school, the grocery store, in my home with my family, and on the phone with customer service. There are countless opportunities to spread a message of hope by simply giving freely. When in doubt, imagine a world in which no one took the time to be of service to others. Remember that every day, our work inside and outside of the rooms makes a difference.

Final thought: Today, I will find a way to be of service. It helps me stay clean, helps others, and keeps the world turning, no matter what room I’m in.