Social Sobriety and Giving Back

One part of AA is the giving back what you have been given from the program of AA. This can be done a several of ways. Do service work ,which means chairing meetings and cleaning up the building after a large gathering of people. So instead of just getting up and leaving to go to your car, you might ask the chair person if there is something you can do to give back what was kindly given to you for your sobriety. Yes, they will look at you in a strange way, but be surprised that you even offered, as most of us after a meeting will just throw our cups away and then casually walk out of the building . Then the person that has the key to the door has to do the cleanup of the room so the next group that comes in will have a orderly room to conduct meetings.

I know , you probably are not the type of person that would do such a  thing, but recently I did this and made a few new friends that I have more in common with. In AA we talk about the steps and staying sober. After AA we talk like regular people and if you need a job or seek a sponsor this is a perfect time in which to ask other members about such things.

Service wrok can entitle many aspects of what you can do to give back , but also giving of money to help operate the expenses is another way of tithing. I feeel like when I give money I am saying thank you for the group counseling and paying a small fee for helping me stay sober just makes since. No one will ask you to put money in the basket that is passed around just before a meeting is about to close. This is the 7th Tradition in which we accept no outside operating expenses and are in no debt to anyone but ourselves. So you see your home AA group is self supporting in how it is run, and if you don't like how it is run you can attend meetings once a month and make suggestions and if they are voted on and agreed then they will make adjustments to how the money is spent on a monthly or yearly basis.

AA programs have been know to use this money to sponsor people to go to quarterly mega-meetings in other towns, if you need the money. They also have used the money to send people to Treatment centers, so we graciously give back what is given to us.This is unlike any meeting you will ever come to, where things are given to you to help you with keeping your life intact. This is what happens when you do service work is you give back and in return , something always good comes back to you. It is the way a church is run in a way, but I don't know what churches do with their money. Give back today to someone less fortunate than you and live life sober today!!