Seattle Area Narcotics Anonymous

NEWSLETTER

IN THIS ISSUE:

Entitlement 2

At Day’s End 2

First Steps 2

Clean Time Birthdays 3

Ask a Grizzled Old Timer 3

Upcoming Events 4

Announcements 4

24-Hour Helpline

206-790-8888Call before you use!

Seattle Area NA Websitewww.seattlena.org

E-meetings:naonlinerecovery.org

The purpose of this newsletter is to keep Seattle Area Narcotics Anony-mous members informed of the events and happenings of the fellowship. Every attempt is made to adhere to NAWS guidelines and SASC guidelines for newsletters. The content contained herein expresses the views and knowl-edge of its contributors, not NA as a whole. Please read this publication with that in mind.

Ibegin by acknowledging that all three of these things listed in the title were acquired over time in the process of recovery. As I share with other recovering

addicts how I applied the steps when life showed up, I develop a deeper sense of gratitude for my story. Experience was derived from several courts, my four children, finances, romances and four babies’ daddies. Every interaction that I had demanded that I pick up the tools and use them. I did not come here with patience. I would allow someone to upset me with just one sentence and then it would take a day or two to calm down. As I attended meetings on a daily basis I quickly noticed how I gave my serenity away so easily. Noticing a behavior that does not help me is uncomfortable; however, it is only the beginning of change. Maintaining the spiritual principles in my life has required me to focus on only the part I play in something. I become disturbed when I find myself emotion-ally involved in things I cannot change. Other people may treat me inappropri-ately and I have a choice whether to interact with them or detach. With family members, co-workers and children, detaching is harder to do. I said harder, not impossible. My emotions get in the way when I am closer to the object of my frustration. I have never successfully altered another person’s behavior by emotionally reacting to them. I have improved relating with others by alter-ing my behavior, my reactions and my level of participation with those people. Sometimes walking away is the only answer. Sometimes it has been necessary to walk away from one of my children. Here in NA I gained the experience to do the right thing even if it is uncomfortable. I cannot serve another person by allowing them to destroy me.

I remain strong and available for life by attending to my values and being authentic. As I recall, active addiction was all about compromising everything to chase a high of some kind or another. The compromising left me feeling of no real value and the high was just an illusion. My strength grows as I walk through fear using each step as a basic guide. There are general spiritual prin-ciples associated with each step. For one, two and three they are acceptance, hope and faith. Much of my strength has been as a result of letting go of things I cannot control or situations that no longer serve me. Letting go and accepting the reality of something is very scary for me. I usually cannot drop my will and get spiritual without breaking down and crying. Every part of my being holds on to something when I become obsessed with it. This amazing program tells me from day one that I alone do not just control my obsessiveness. I may be afraid to surrender a romantic relationship and create unnecessary pain for myself. The pain will push me to pick up recovery tools. Maybe I won’t pray the first time my heart is broken. Perhaps I try to make a man my higher power and discover that my meeting attendance is slipping. I will hurt when I do not put recovery first.

Experience, Strength, and Hopeby Jackie O.

(Continued on page 4)

December 2012/January 2013

2 Seattle Area Newsletter

First Steps by Chris Weersing (submitted by Jon C.)

Walk along the ocean head amongst the clouds treading upon the most sacred lands wandering where you’d been previously not allowed. The restrictions have been rescinded,  and the road ahead looks clear to progress on to a more satisfying time in reason,  in rhyme,  for you know that  that time  is nowhere remotely close to here. The first steps are the hardest,  for it is surrendering yourself to fate,  admitting that they are things beyond our control,  that you are helpless,  and being helpless is what we hate. We feel more comfortable with control,  when we,  ourselves,  are responsible for our destinies. Well how on earth are you in control when you’re here broken,  crying,  scared out of your mind. upon your fallen knees?

At Day’s End Author unknown (submitted by George III)

Is anybody happier because you passed this way?Does anybody remember that you spoke to them today?The day is almost over and its toiling time is through;Is there anyone to utter now a kindly word of you?Can you say tonight in parting with the day that’s dipping fast,That you helped a single person of the many that you passed?Is a single heart rejoicing over what you did or said;Does the person whose hopes were fading now with courage

look ahead?Did you waste the day or lose it? Was it well or sorely spent?Did you leave a trail of kindness, or a scar of discontent?As you close your eyes in slumber, do you think that GOD will

say“You have earned one more tomorrow by the work you did

today”?

Entitlement by Anonymous

The character defect of the day is ENTITLEMENT. My addiction tells me that I am entitled to get

loaded and that I am entitled to ‘live how I want’. This is also a common adage that the criminal mind uses to justify its decisions. What I fail to recognize is the effect that ‘living how I want’ has upon myself and on the people in my life. When I am seeing and living out of a sense of entitlement, I hurt the people around me and I make decisions that are not in my own best interest. Too often my loved ones are left picking up the pieces and are baffled by my lack of concern for consequences. Eventually the result is that I am in a very lonely place because I have pushed everyone away and have gotten myself into a bind that sometimes can take the form of legal and health problems.

Such life decisions can create messes that may take years to clean up. The wreckage that results from my sense of entitle-ment is without limit.

Fortunately, I can challenge such thinking and I can replace this character defect with the spiritual principle of HUMILITY. By coming back down to reality and by recognizing my sense of proportion with the world around me I come to rely on some-thing beyond the desires of my ego. I live for others and I do the right thing for the right reasons. One of the greatest gifts of recovery is the freedom from a sense of having to have things my way all the time. The burden of selfishness and self centered thinking is lifted when I reach out to others and when I admit when I am wrong.

Today I will strive to be humble and will move away from entitlement, for I know the results of the latter all to well.

Artw

ork

by T

aylo

r W.

3October/November 2012

Jack W.................. 12/16/73(39 years)Cheryl T. ............. 01/03/84(29 years)Jeff E. ................... 12/02/87(25 years)Tammy D. ........... 12/20/88(24 years)Kae Cee ............... 12/23/90(22 years)Robert B.............. 12/02/94(18 years)Jon C. .................. 12/29/01(11 years)Dave A................. 12/10/04 (8 years)

Clean Time Birthdays

If you would like to have your annual NA birthday included in this publication, please email the Newsletter Coordinator at newsletter@seattlena.org. If you do not have access to a computer, feel free to call or text (206) 234-2125. The cutoff for the February/March issue is January 27th.

Andy D................ 12/01/06 (6 years)Mark V................. 12/27/06 (6 years)Steve P. ................ 12/12/07 (5 years)Ali P..................... 01/12/10 (3 years)Thresa R. ............. 12/03/11 (1 year)Darrell S.............. 12/23/11 (1 year)Connor V............. 01/12/12 (1 year)

Dear Grizzled Old Timer,

Lately I’ve been struggling making it to meetings regularly with my new-found busy life. I have 16 months clean and I’m not sure how to balance my life and my recovery. Any advice?

Strapped For Time

Dear SFT,

When I got clean in the late ‘90s, I lived at the Java Club, and the Step Working Guide hadn’t been printed yet. Meeting makers make it, SFT — let’s get to a meeting!

Got a question for the Grizzled Old Timer? Send an email newsletter @seattlena.org.

December 2012/January 2013

4 Seattle Area Newsletter

Upcoming EventsNew Year’s Eve DanceMonday, December 31st, 2012Lake City Community CenterCost: $7.00Check www.seattlena.org/activities/activities.htm for more information.

AnnouncementsFootloose & Drug FreeThursdays 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.The Recovery Cafe2022 Boren Ave, SeattleCome help us keep the message alive in the downtown area!

Living Clean — The Journey ContinuesThe new piece of recovery literature that was approved at the last conference is now available for purchase online at www.na.org in soft and hard cover for $8.75. A limited number of the special commemorative editions will be available sometime in December for $30.00.

Call For SupportThe Activities Subcommittee meets the first and third Thursday of each month at Lake City Community Center. Service positions available! Contact Heather A. at 206-947-6946 or activities-chair@seattlena.org for more information.

Do you have an article, anecdote, announement or artwork you would

like to share with the Fellowship? We would love to hear from you! Send an email to the Newsletter Coordinator at newsletter@seattlena.org. Submissions may be edited for length, clarity, or compliance with our Traditions.

Pain will eventually force me to do what is required to find my way to acceptance.Hope fuels my every endeavor. God works through people and one way or another I receive messages that change my

perspective and inspire me daily. Keeping my mind open allows me to hear something healing in a song, another person or a movie. The sources of hope are infinite. To maximize the flow of hope I must be in a state of acceptance and surrender and maintain an open mind. Showing up early to scheduled meetings and fellowshipping feeds my soul. Other recovering addicts are my best defense against my disease!

Experience, Strength, and Hope (continued from page 1)