Practicing The Spirit of the Tenth Tradition

This is from a powerful article in this month’s Grapevine. It allows me to continue to stand for opportunities to present crosstalk in meetings, when done responsibly, as an invaluable tool with which to attain sobriety.

Juliet H. tells us;

“I am practicing the spirit of the Tenth Tradition as long as I am sharing my experience, strength, and hope, and not my opinions. By practicing this, I’ve been able to strengthen my relationships in and out of the rooms…”

It is important for me to take note of what Juliet says next;

“One of the sayings I’ve heard in the rooms for many years is, ‘We go to meetings to give, not to get.’ For me, the difference between being a ‘giver’ and a ‘taker’ is the quality of what I bring to meetings with me.”

Lets try to live in the answer and this problem will go away. If you see someone in meetings who has nothing better to offer than “unsolicited advice and a know-it-all attitude” lose the fear of reminding them of our Traditions, especially the Tenth.

Juliet doesn’t close with this (and I’d strongly suggest her entire piece be read) but what she says next is wonderful;

“Am I sharing my experience, strength, and hope, or am I sharing my opinions? If I’m sharing my experience, strength, and hope, I’m sharing about how the principles I’ve learned in AA – such as service, unity, reaching out for help, acceptance, faith, or humility – have helped me to live life on life’s terms just enough to stay sober for a few twenty-four hours. If I’m sharing my opinions, it sounds different, even to my ears. It sounds more like, ‘You should do this to stay sober,’ rather than, ‘This is what I did to stay sober.’”

Gratitude…