Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions. TWELVE AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 160
When I go shopping I look at the prices and if I need what I see, I buy it and pay. Now that I am supposed to be in rehabilitation, I have to straighten out my life. When I go to a meeting, I take a coffee with sugar and milk, sometimes more than one. But at the collection time, I am either too bust to take money out of my purse, or I do not have enough, but I am there because I need this meeting. I heard someone suggest dropping the price of a beer into the basket, and I thought, thats too much! I almost never give one dollar. Like many others, I rely on the more generous members to finance the Fellowship. I forget that it takes money to rent the meeting room, buy my milk, sugar and cups. I will pay, without hesitation, ninety cents for a cup of coffee at a restaurant after the meeting; I always have money for that. So, how much is my sobriety and my inner peace worth?
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Progress not perfection.. & Practice makes Progress!
Wow! This post hit me straight in the forehead!! I always have money for cigarettes and soda yet when the basket passes I go outside to smoke so no one will notice I dont put anything in the basket!!! How selfish is that? This made me think and I am gonna change my ways! Thanks for posting it! Love, Allison
I go to a noon F2F everyday on my way home from work. Because I can't clock out till 12pm I get to the meeting around 12:15-12:20. Sometimes the basket has all ready been passed so I don't "get" to put my money in. This being the 7th month and tradition 7 being a big topic has really made think about the traditions in general, where I never really had given them much thought before. Sooooo, I have now started putting that money in my glovebox and each meeting I take it ALL in until I can finally put it ALL into the basket.......I'm grateful for the one's before me who contributed. If they had not would AA have been around when I wanted it.
I find that "contribution" comes in many forms. i.e. taking the time to stay after a meeting and talk/listen/share with someone. Giving someone a ride to a meeting. Or sometimes it's as simple as picking up the phone when an AA calls.......
It's wonderful to grow in sobriety, huh!
(((hugs)))
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Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass... It's about learning to dance in the rain.
