Ramie Siler
1. If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are half way through.
2. We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness.
3. We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.
4. We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace.
5. No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others.
6. That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear.
7. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows.
8. Self-seeking will slip away.
9. Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change.
10. Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us.
11. We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.
12. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do forourselves
Are these extravagant promises? We think not. They are being fulfilled among us – sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them.
Alcoholics Anonymous p83-84
The AA Promises seek to help individuals remain grounded in their recovery. The first promise draws our attention to pushing through the hardships of recovery. Every day is a battle yet another day clean and sober. Every day we want to want to empower the women we serve with the tools needed for their recovery. We want to help women reconnect with children, family, friends and most importantly themselves. The second and fourth promises speaks of freedom, happiness, serenity, and peace. These are words that are part of the everyday vocabulary of the staff. I am passionate in helping women discover a new life free of drugs and alcohol. In order to help foster this change, I am sure to include positive words of hope and faith with the women. Addiction can be a time of darkness and hopelessness. Positive words of encouragement offer light from a place of darkness.
The third promise speaks strongly to me. It says “We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.” We all have a past whether its positive or negative. Our pasts can direct us towards our future. We are not defined by our past but who we become because of it. Addiction is part of our clients past but it does not dictate what they do in the future. Their addictions are a reminder of who they use to be and the work they have to do to not return to the past selves.
Lastly, the twelfth promise is the fruition of the other promises. “We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.” Your higher power provides something for you to depend on through your trials and tribulations. As a Christian, I turn to God to talk about my problems and seek refuge. For those who chose God as their higher power, I would encourage them to turn to God during the midst of their storms. Recovery is a bumpy road. However, the road is drivable with the tools of recovery and having God in the driver’s seat and faith in the passenger seat.
Ramie Siler serves as the Recovery Support Services Manager at The Next Door.