NA Basic text cautions us about complacency. Just for Today also warns us about it. It is so easy to justify skipping a meeting. I wasn’t feeling good. I was too tired. I didn’t have a ride. My car had problems. A family member / friend needed my help. I had a bad day at work. I was not in the mood to be around others. The excuses can go on forever. I think we even heard one of our home group members use his dog as an excuse. We laughed at him…really??? Your dog ate your homework??? I absolutely cannot judge anyone for anything. I have missed meetings; mostly because I no longer want to drive that distance, and find it expensive in terms of transportation costs and wear and tear on my vehicle (not to mention all the damn speeding tickets I have gotten over the past ten months).
But what happens when you really NEED a meeting? The one you usually attend gets cancelled and you don’t have time to get to another one in another city? I say this: If you become consciously aware of the fact that you NEED a meeting, then do whatever it takes to get to one –even if you are late. If you absolutely cannot physically get to a meeting and you KNOW you NEED one, then call a sponsor or a friend and do a SKYPE or phone meeting with the two of you; you can even call forward to add in others. There are all kinds of ways. Skype is another, but so is creating a group text. There are online NA meetings too (although I have not tried this yet, so I can’t speak to how the experience is yet).
It’s important to pay attention to your feelings about your meetings. Just as it is important to “check-in” with yourself (I know, that expression is really getting overused, but it doesn’t make my point any less valid). Ask yourself how your day is going according to YOU. Remind yourself of all the pros of attending a meeting. You ALWAYS LEAVE A MEETING FEELING BETTER THAN YOU DID BEFORE IT. You ALWAYS LEAVE A MEETING FEELING UNCONDITIONALLY LOVED AND ACCEPTED. You ALWAYS GET GOOD HUGS AND AFFECTION. You ALMOST ALWAYS HEAR SOMETHING WISE OR PROFOUND THAT IMPACTS YOU OR RESONATES WITH THE WAY YOU ARE FEELING AT THE MOMENT. YOU VIRTUALLY FEEL SATISFIED.
So remember that meetings are an important part of recovery, not just in the beginning, but also in maintaining your recovery for the long-haul. Also, never forget that YOU ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THE MEETING. And something YOU say, may be just what another person or especially a newcomer needs to hear. And that, is worth anything. After all, what is the point of the NA Steps – to carry the message to the addict who still suffers.
Peace, love, blessings and happy meetings to all!
NMRecoveryHOPE 