Tradition Nine

[Karma Dancer]

"A.A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve."
-- Tradition Nine

"None of us has gotten where we are solely by pulling ourselves up from our own bootstraps. We got here because somebody bent down and helped us."
--Thurgood Marshall

"Rather than regretting that I wasted half of my life drinking, I am just grateful that God has given me the rare opportunity to live two lives in one lifetime."
-- Anonymous

Reading through today's readings as Charlie posted, it brought to mind something else, too. My husband and I are members of a nonprofit group that re-enacts the middle ages. Our districts are divided into "kingdoms" and inside one of the sets of royal crowns for one of the kingdoms out west, it is carved: "You serve because they believe."

When it gets down to it, it's all about the service! When I first came to the rooms, I served the group by making coffee and putting out the cookies, helping set up for meetings; my sponsor taught me how to serve by sharing in meetings and sharing with her; she taught me how to serve by helping coordinate meetings and serving on committees. Now I am able to take that tradition of service outside the rooms too by serving my community, by serving the other groups I enjoy, by serving the people I work with and the company I work for.

I am grateful for Tradition Nine. It taught me to be responsible to others and it taught me how to serve for the sake of service, not for any personal gain. Sometimes that service takes a tack that makes life a bit.....uncomfortable for me. People call in the middle of the night with crises. People come to me needing help at work when I'm really busy doing something else. Well, too bad! How many times did I call during the wee hours, expecting someone to comfort me? How many times did I have to interrupt what someone else was doing because I needed help or information? And people always came through, in one way or another. People served me -- now it is high time I did the same.

Thanks for reminding me about service, and about what it means to be of service to others :)
-- karma
/soapbox
(and thanks for reading through this!! :D)

[blossom]

Service for me within AA has kept and will keep me sober - I started my service too with making coffees at my home group (though i wanted to go straight in and be secretary, fortunatley members with a few days more experience than i had, allocated me tea person) my ego was a little bruised at the time, but i grew to love that job and still do if i get the opportunity to fill it - it was really good for me being new to welcome everyone as they came in and make them a drink. It made me feel a sense of being part of the group, i always encourage my sponsees to grab this post if it ever becomes available!
Service for me also keeps me firmly planted in the thick of AA - because when the days come where i don't want to put as much effort into my program or i feeling pretty selfish garunteed i get a 12 step call or a PI request or a sponsee rings needing help with something! And sometimes i think i won't bother answering my phone - then what my sponsor has kindly ingrained in me comes to mind -

When anyone, anywhere - reaches out for help - i want the hand of AA to always be there - and for that I am responsible,

And i go on with what god has put in my day! Then without fail when i come to do my daily inventory at night, though like you Karma i don't do service for personal gain or gratification, i do it because it was so freely done for me and continues to be - i find that i have gained because i am finishing my day sober and it becomes a privilledge to be of service to god!!

Thanks for reminding me of tradition nine - i'm meeting with one of my sponsees tonight before going to a meeting, so i will carry this sentiment with me today and pray for the privilledge to be of service to someone else :) :) :)

[samf]

Although it wasn't the plan, because I didn't KNOW "the plan", things like making coffee, helping to get a birthday together for someone, pouring coffee, giving away books...chairing a meeting (still not my fave...), setting up chairs, cleaning...you know. It all made me feel a part of. I didn't expect that.
And that's how I got to know other memebers, too.
Today I still tend towards being self-centered, but usually it kicks in to do whatever I am asked to do, in AA. Sometimes (like yesterday) I get started and think it is the biggest p-i-a in the world! WHY did I say yes? And it always turns out to be a good thing for me. I am continually amazed.
People were there for me, too...all hours of the night or day. I'm real grateful.

Sam

[WolfM]

At my home group, we celebrate AA birthdays with a cake on the last Monday of the month. My AA birthday is in December. So invariably, the last Monday fell on December 31. I was the secretary of the Monday night meeting so as my wife was preparing for a New Years Eve party we were going to attend later in the evening, I started to leave and said I would be back later. She asked me why I had to go on this night since it was New Years Eve. I told her because I am the secretary on Monday nights and if someone needs a meeting, the hall should be open. Besides, we would not be leaving the house until after 9pm and I would be home well before that time.
So I went to the meeting. There was only two other people there. The birthday chairperson (with the cake) and his wife, who was also in the fellowship.
This is when the term service was really driven home to me. I never took a holiday from drinking. So I never take holidays from my sobriety.
Wolf M

[kelly k]

i loved what everyone has to share on tradition nine...i also thought that being of service meant the "important parts " of aa, the secretary, tres., i even volunteered to speak at a meeting i was out of town at, saying i was 8 years sober, instead of the truth(60 days)!!!! my ego was such that i actually gave a talk at this speaker meeting- fortunatly, the hand of God touched me rather agressively when i told my sponser...2 magical things happened- first off, i was guilty enough to tell my sponser(whats this, i thought-i have a conscience?) second, i was willing to take her advice, and the next week, drive back, and make amends to the group...(i must want this, i thought). well, imagine my surprise when the oldtimers shared after me, telling me that they knew i was brand new...i had quoted the book wrong, got the steps mixed up, ect. they said keep coming back, and i did . i became the"butt girl" for that meeting, emping ashtrays, and picking up ciggerette butts out of the church parking lot every week after the meeting...i became aware that i was a part of, not for the job i held, or the "importance"of it, just because in my little contribution, i was honoring aa, and the people who had kept it going before me...its funny when i think back on my 'speaker incidence' i really believed i had something to say- next week ill speak at a speaker meeting, and now all i know is it is gods hand that i will hold that night- he does it, notme..... thanks for reading this, and for being here. have a great day...peace, kelly

[blossom]

Thanks Kelly ;)

I really enjoyed sharing your experience...it made me smile as i could recognise so much of myself in my early days!

And i loved your saying "butt girl" very humbling.....next time i can feel my ego outgrowing it's place i will remind myself of your saying, i have feeling that for me that will cut straught to the quick of it and make me catch a moment of humility :P

Thanks again
Love Blossom :D