Within our wonderful new world, we have found freedom from our fatal obsession.” – Bill W

At different points in my recovery, I’ve had different priorities. Sometimes I was heavy on service work without a strong network of people in recovery, or sometimes I leaned too much on my human network and neglected my relationship with my higher power. These phases are normal and a part of recovery. We are learned what it means to be in balance and what it looks like to take care of ourselves. The three parts of the AA triangle stand for: unity, service and recovery. These three components work in consort to bring about the most fulfilling, healing and challenging opportunities for AAs. All three work together to bring about the conditions necessary for long-term sobriety. In the beginning, the fellowship is what kept me going to meetings and kept me working with my sponsor for long enough for the miracle to happen for me. I had been so lonely for so long, I was hungry for laughter and inclusion again. That had been lost a while ago, another casualty of my disease. Within the first year or so of my sobriety, I spent hours and hours with my sober friends. I stayed up until 3am and slept until noon, chain smoked cigarettes, did H&I meetings, did meditation constantly, and ran my ideas by everyone I respected. Those things taught me valuable lessons. I still run my ideas by the people I trust, I still meditate, I still do service work and I still spend hours with my fellowship. I know the things that got me sober in the darkest time of my life still work today.