Posted by Bo S on November 06, 19101 at 15:00:54:
Dear Kathy, Rob and others following this exchange,
We can see that many members who come to this page reflect
their current level of understanding of our NA processes, what is possible, correct or effective.
One thing I would beg you to study and repeatedly focus on is that I am not running for mayor of NA. When we pulled together thousands of addicts from all over the world to write the Basic Text in the later 1970's and early 1980's, there was lots of love and spirit. Most were young in recovery and had a "the sky's the limit attitude." All that I found thrilling. My own role as current WSC Lit Chair was exactly right because I was in touch with members in world service who guided and supported what we were doing and allowed me to extend great trust and expectation to the Fellowship - which the members responded to with great love and dedication.
If you treat people honorably with respect and positive expectation, they can respond to that. If you treat them with contempt and derision because they are 'non-professional', they respond to that also, but differently.
What excites me is that among the many members working on this project for long periods of time, we are approaching a cross-roads where we can finally come together and do the fun stuff! It is grand to be in a room with hundreds of recoverying addicts reading, discussing and developing their own recovery materials. The 'group mind' effect is tremendous. We experience it every time we go to a good NA meeting. It is where all our common welfare comes from, so members take to it naturally. Now, writing in this special, spiritual environment is not ordinary - that is why we pray. When we surrender and seek the help of our Higher Power, we open the doorway to miracles. Not for the faint hearted.
In Loving Service,
Bo S.