August 18: Just for Today meditation, read by Fern

Just for Today meditation for August 18, read by Fern

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August 18

How long do I have to go?

"The way to remain a productive, responsible member of society is to put our recovery first."

Basic Text, p. 102

––––=––––

The meetings have been great! Each night we've attended, we've gathered with other addicts to share experience, strength, and hope. And each day, we've used what we've learned in the meetings to continue in our recovery.

Meanwhile, life goes on. Work, family, friends, school, sport, entertainment, community activities, civic obligations-all call out for our time. The demands of everyday living sometimes make us ask ourselves, "How long do I have to go to these meetings?" Let's think about this. Before coming to Narcotics Anonymous, could we stay clean on our own? What makes us think we can now? Then there's the disease itself to consider-the chronic self-centeredness, the obsessiveness, the compulsive behavior patterns that express themselves in so many areas of our lives. Can we live and enjoy life without effective treatment for our disease? No.

"Ordinary" people may not have to worry about such things, but we're not "Ordinary" people-we're addicts. We can't pretend we don't have a fatal, progressive illness, because we do. Without our program, we may not survive to worry about the demands of work, school, family, or anything else. NA meetings give us the support and direction we need to recover from our addiction, allowing us to live the fullest lives possible.

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Just for today:

I want to live and enjoy life. To do that, I will put my recovery first.

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© NA World Services

This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Episode Transcript

(00:03):
Welcome to the Voices of Recovery podcast.
This is your Just For Today episode featuring a recovering
addict. Hi, my name is Fern.

(00:23):
My clean date is January 5th, 1984.
You're listening to the Voices of Recovery podcasts.
This is the just for today, for August 18th.
How long do I have to go? The way to remain a productive,
responsible member of society isto put our recovery first.

(00:48):
Basic text page one O 6. The meetings have been great.
Each night we've attended, we'vegathered with other addicts to
share experience, strength and hope.
And each day we've used what we've learned in the meetings to
continue in our recovery. Meanwhile, life goes on.

(01:10):
Work, family, friends, school, sport, entertainment, community
activities, civic obligations all call out for our time.
The demands of everyday living sometimes make us ask ourselves,
how long do I have to go to these meetings?

(01:32):
Let's think about this before coming to Narcotics Anonymous.
Could we stay clean on our own? What makes us think we can now?
Then there's the disease itself to consider the chronic self
centeredness, the obsessiveness,the compulsive behavior patterns
that express themselves in so many areas of our lives.

(01:56):
Can we live and enjoy life without effective treatment for
our disease? No, Ordinary people may not have
to worry about such things. But we're not ordinary people.
We're addicts. We can't pretend we don't have a
fatal progressive illness because we do.

(02:17):
Without our program, we may not survive to worry about the
demands of work, school, family,or anything else.
NA gives us the support and direction we need to recover
from our addiction, allowing us to live the fullest lives
possible. Just for today, I want to live

(02:39):
and enjoy life. To do that, I will put my
recovery first. Or any of its subsidiaries or
affiliates. While any literature may be read
during episodes for the purpose of supporting recovery, such use
does not constitute an official endorsement or representation by
Narcotics Anonymous. In accordance with any
tradition, the NA name is not tobe used to endorse or be

(03:02):
affiliated with any outside enterprise, and no such
endorsement or affiliation is implied.
Music is by Sage. Thanks for listening to the
Voices of Recovery podcast.