Tradition One - How Can I help to Promote unity in A.A.?

Tradition One!

How Can I help to Promote unity in A.A.? Our Founders gave us a set of principles used to do just that. To practice, promote and protect our unity. The only way I know how to practice unity, is to pick up that second set of spiritual tools laid at my feet called the 12 Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous. I try to do my best to observe ALL 12 of those Traditions and to make the sacrifices each one asks me to make not only for my group, but also for A.A. as a whole.

I choose to put A.A. and the good of the group before myself, before you, before the old-timer, and yes even before the newcomer. Our COMMON welfare comes before any one member. Our COMMON welfare must come first.

I am learning to accept and surrender to the group conscience. What is decided every year at the general service conference is God, expressing himself throughout the U.S. and Canada. That's where our conference approved literature comes from. Even if I don't like it. Can I accept the group conscience of A.A. as a whole knows better than I?

I can help to make sure that ANY alcoholic is made to feel welcome. Regardless of race, gender, problems in addition to alcohol, religion, culture, convicted felons... I can always remember that Alcoholics Anonymous needs to be a safe place for ALL alcoholics.

I can try to appreciate that groups which are not my home group have the right to be wrong, and their customs and practices might not look like my group's customs and practices. I don't need to tell them there's a better way of doing things. I can respect their group conscience.

I can leave all my "and-a's" at the door. This one is a difficult one for someone like me who has always wanted to be the Fruit Loop in the bowl of Cheerios. Like a hat check, before walking into a meeting of Alcoholics anonymous, I try to leave all of my differences at the door. I understand that all of us alcoholics come in with a myriad of other problems. That it would clutter the meeting and our singleness of purpose would get lost if we all brought those issues into the rooms with us. I'm able to make the sacrifice today to drop all of my anda's at the door and just be an alcoholic among alcoholics. No better than, no worse than, and most importantly no different than you. The rooms of A.A. are here for my alcoholism. I can seek outside help for my outside issues. That's what doctors, ministers, therapists and other 12 step fellowships are for.

I can try to respect the principle of non-affiliation (actual or implied) by resisting bringing non-AA literature into an A.A. forum, meeting or event. One of my favorite A.A. books is published by an outside entity. I try to remember, if I make an exception for myself then everyone else gets to bring in whatever they want as well. Whether it be the Bible, Treatment Center literature, astrology, or the book of Satan. (LOL)

I can try to be responsible with where I contribute my 7th Tradition making sure that my A.A. dollars go in my own home group so that I have a say in where they are spent and that I'm supporting not only my home group, but my local Intergroup central office, district, and area through where my home group makes distributions.

I'm able to make the choice to sacrifice not making money off of 12 step work. If I'm ever tempted to write a recovery book, I can sacrifice money and prestige making sure not to attach my name to it but to do it anonymously. Remembering to never professionalize my 12 step work. And to always remember this thing is an avocation "for Fun & for Free". NOT a vocation or "for fee or for hire"

I can also remember that my 12-step work is not to be organized. I get to work on committees within the structure of Alcoholics Anonymous, but when it comes to helping newcomers, I try to use only the language of the heart.

I can be mindful about keeping my opinions to myself about religion, politics, and anything else from the outside world that may be controversial or divisive. I try my best to remember that new people deserve a safe place of neutrality to come into, where they will not hear things talked about that are going on in the outside world no matter how passionately I feel about those things.

I can make the choice to sacrifice my personal ambition by not affiliating myself with Alcoholics Anonymous. Actual or implied. I would hate for people to think I represent A.A. because I pridefully post on social media or have put an A.A. bumper sticker on my car. I am not so arrogant to think that I'm in 100% fit spiritual condition 100% of the time and if when driving if I run a red light or use an inappropriate hand gesture, it's not just me that looks bad. I can try to remember that Our Public Relation policy is NOT here to protect me from shame and stigma. It is to protect Alcoholics Anonymous from ME.

And lastly, I can try my best to always remember that Anonymity (meaning, "sacrificing personal ambition for the common good") is the spiritual substance of all of our Traditions. I need to always remember to put this set of spiritual principles before my own personal opinions and ambitions.

That's a tall order! I can't go through with it! Thank goodness, I get to grow along spiritual lines. And practice this second set of spiritual principles as it relates to the fellowship and program that saved my life.