Narcotics Anonymous

Just For Today - Daily Email Service

   March 27                                            Looking for the assets

     "In accordance with the principles of recovery, we try not to judge,
                  stereotype, or moralize with each other."

                                                            Basic Text, p. 11

                           ----=----

   How many times in our recovery have we misunderstood the behavior of
   another, immediately formed a judgment, applied a label, and neatly tucked
   the individual into a pigeonhole?  Perhaps they had developed a different
   understanding of a Power greater than themselves than we had, so we
   concluded their beliefs were unspiritual.  Or maybe we saw a couple having
   an argument; we assumed their relationship was sick, only to find out
   later that their marriage had prospered for many years.

   Thoughtlessly tossing our fellows into categories saves us the effort of
   finding out anything about them.   Every time we judge the behavior of
   another, we cease to see them as potential friends and fellow travelers on
   the road to recovery.

   If we happened to ask those we are judging if they appreciate being
   stereotyped, we would receive a resounding "no" in response.  Would we
   feel slighted if this were done to us?  Yes, indeed.  Our best qualities
   are what we want others to notice.  In the same way, our fellow recovering
   addicts want to be well thought of.  Our program of recovery asks us to
   look positively at life.    The more we concentrate on the positive
   qualities in others, the more we'll notice them in ourselves.

                           ----=----

   Just for today:   I will set aside my negative judgments of others, and
   concentrate instead on appreciating the favorable qualities in all.