https://www.therdsf.org/, https://www.therdsf.com/

The Reginald & Dionne Smith Foundation, 2870 Peachtree Road NW #915-1076, Atlanta, GA (2025)

09/07/2025

The USCHA 2025 there is still work to be done the heterosexual black man is still not represented if we are going to eradicate the virus everyone must be included. We must change the imagery! While Magic was the keynote speaker he never mentioned he was married to a heterosexual woman nor did he give a shout out to the heterosexual community. We are stronger together then apart.

09/07/2025

07 September

Patience and the Process of Healing

Page 259

"Healing takes time, but it does happen. We must be patient with ourselves."

Living Clean, Chapter 4, "S*x"

Some of us came into NA hoping for a speedy recovery, like the way we'd bounced back after that accident and got over the flu right quick. We wanted to put addiction behind us, and then we could get on with life. A mixture of hope and denial convinced us that detoxing would fix us. Our experience told a different story. We'd been able to stop using on occasion, but we could never seem to stay stopped. At some point, we realized we needed more than a spin-dry, and we rallied the patience to persevere on a just-for-today basis.

We face our lives and ourselves in everyday living, as the Basic Text suggests. We strive for progress while taking care not to expect perfection. Sticking with it calls on us to be patient with the process and ourselves. Recovery is ongoing for folks like us, not something we can look at in the rearview mirror. We consider ourselves recovering, not recovered, addicts.

Practicing patience requires us to be more gentle with ourselves. We attempt to nurture kind and encouraging thoughts, shutting down the harsh self-talk that says, "I should be better than this by now." When we measure our progress against some unrealistic benchmark, or worse, compare our insides to others' outsides, it's no wonder we come up short. We focus on finding satisfaction with the pace of our progress. Patience serves as a bridge to some much-needed hope, faith, and humility as we learn to trust the process.

We'll need all of these spiritual principles and more as we navigate the minefields of our past with the Twelve Steps and a sponsor's guidance. Trauma and abuse cast a long shadow on many of our lives; we learn to be patient with ourselves as an expression of love. We come to understand our past without allowing it to define us. All of this takes time--time that's available to us because we're learning to practice patience.

I invite patience to help me find satisfaction with my progress and access the resources I need for continued recovery and healing.

All NAWS subscriptions are free. We are able to provide this service due, in part, to the generous contributions of our members. If you are a member, you can make a contribution here: www.na.org/contribute

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NA World Services, Inc.
19737 Nordhoff Place
Chatsworth, CA 91311

Copyright © 2025 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

09/07/2025

07 September

Resentment and forgiveness

Page 261

"Where there has been wrong, the program teaches us the spirit of forgiveness."

Basic Text, p. 12

❖

In NA, we begin to interact with the world around us. We no longer live in isolation. But freedom from isolation has its price: The more we interact with people, the more often we'll find someone stepping on our toes. And such are the circumstances in which resentments are often born.

Resentments, justified or not, are dangerous to our ongoing recovery. The longer we harbor resentments, the more bitter they become, eventually poisoning us. To stay clean, we must find the capacity to let go of our resentments, the capacity to forgive. We first develop this capacity in working Steps Eight and Nine, and we keep it alive by regularly taking the Tenth Step.

Sometimes when we are unwilling to forgive, it helps to remember that we, too, may someday require another person's forgiveness. Haven't we all, at one time or another, done something that we deeply regretted? And aren't we healed in some measure when others accept our sincere amends?

An attitude of forgiveness is a little easier to develop when we remember that we are all doing the very best we can. And someday we, too, will need forgiveness.

❖

Just for Today: I will let go of my resentments. Today, if I am wronged, I will practice forgiveness, knowing that I need forgiveness myself.

All NAWS subscriptions are free. We are able to provide this service due, in part, to the generous contributions of our members. If you are a member, you can make a contribution here: www.na.org/contribute

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NA World Services, Inc.
19737 Nordhoff Place
Chatsworth, CA 91311

Copyright © 2025 by Narcotics Anonymous Worl

09/06/2025

06 September

Anonymity and Selfless Service

Page 258

"The fact that we are anonymous means that the work we do in NA really can be selfless service. We don't want or need credit for helping others; it's what we do to save our own lives."

Living Clean, Chapter 6, "Anonymity"

The first thought some of us have when given the chance to help someone is What's in it for me? We stay clean, work Steps, experience freedom--and still, our diseased thinking whispers that we ought to be rewarded for our selflessness.

"I volunteered in the merchandise room at our convention right after celebrating ten years clean," a member shared. "I folded T-shirts and unboxed coffee mugs for hours, wondering all along what kind of goodie I'd get for doing my part. A mug? A shirt? At the end of my shift, they said, 'Thanks for your service!' and gave me a hug. In a matter of moments, I went from being disappointed in them to being disappointed in myself!"

The good we do for others is not limited to our service in NA. Another member wrote, "My sponsor told me to do something for someone else and keep it a secret. On my way to a meeting, I saw someone asking for change, and I bought them a sandwich. The first thing I did when I shared at the meeting was congratulate myself for being so generous."

Perfect selflessness may be out of reach, but we can always strive to be less self-centered. We don't have to disappear completely; we simply step out of the spotlight for a moment. When we feel the impulse to make a moment about ourselves, we learn to say, "Thanks for sharing," and let the impulse go.

Feeling like we are owed for our service and comparing our generosity to that of those around us are just a couple of the ways addiction seeks to separate us from others. Service and kindness help us reconnect. We keep our focus on those we are helping. We hope that the convention-goers who purchase a mug or a T-shirt look back fondly on their convention experience for years to come. We hope that the hungry person felt some relief for a little while; we hope that if we see them again, they look and feel better. We think of ourselves a bit less, we think of others a bit more, and we begin to feel gratitude.

I may never be perfectly selfless, but I can try to serve as though it's not all about me. I will make my service about others today.

All NAWS subscriptions are free. We are able to provide this service due, in part, to the generous contributions of our members. If you are a member, you can make a contribution here: www.na.org/contribute

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NA World Services, Inc.
19737 Nordhoff Place
Chatsworth, CA 91311

Copyright © 2025 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

09/06/2025

06 September

Regular meeting attendance

Page 260

"We have learned from our group experience that those who keep coming to our meetings regularly stay clean."

Basic Text, p. 9

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The NA program gives us a new pattern of living. One of the basic elements of that new pattern is regular meeting attendance. For the newcomer, living clean is a brand new experience. All that once was familiar is changed. The old people, places, and things that served as props on the stage of our lives are gone. New stresses appear, no longer masked or deadened by drugs. That's why we often suggest that newcomers attend a meeting every day. No matter what comes up, no matter how crazy the day gets, we know that our daily meeting awaits us. There, we can renew contact with other recovering addicts, people who know what we're going through because they've been through it themselves. No day needs to go by without the relief we get only from such fellowship.

As we mature in recovery, we get the same kinds of benefits from regular meeting attendance. Regardless of how long we've been clean, we never stop being addicts. True, we probably won't immediately start using mass quantities of drugs if we miss our meetings for a few days. But the more regularly we attend NA meetings, the more we reinforce our identity as recovering addicts. And each meeting helps put us that much further from becoming using addicts again.

❖

Just for Today: I will make a commitment to include regular meeting attendance as a part of my new pattern of living.

All NAWS subscriptions are free. We are able to provide this service due, in part, to the generous contributions of our members. If you are a member, you can make a contribution here: www.na.org/contribute

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NA World Services, Inc.
19737 Nordhoff Place
Chatsworth, CA 91311

Copyright © 2025 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

09/05/2025

Keynote speaker USCHA
Theme “Aging with HIV”

09/05/2025

05 September

Cooperation Despite Friction

Page 257

"Time and time again, in crises we have set aside our differences and worked for the common good."

Basic Text, Chapter 6, "Tradition One"

Cooperation is fundamental to what we do in NA, starting from the moment when the message is first carried to us. "I didn't get clean because of my own Step One," an addict shared. "I got clean because of someone else's Step Twelve." Whether we first heard the message from one member, a group, or a piece of literature, carrying the message to a using addict requires cooperation. We are clean because other members cooperated with each other--and we cooperated by listening and believing that recovery was possible for us, too.

Our cooperation in NA continues well beyond that first moment of willingness to listen and receive a message of hope. As we stay clean and get to know our fellow members better, we cooperate with each other and keep the doors open for the addicts yet to come. We're sure to see or experience friction at some point, but addicts in recovery can be surprising in our ability to come together when it really matters.

"I got clean in a small town, and there were only two addicts at my first meeting," a member wrote. "They carried a message to me that night. I thought they were best friends. Later, I learned that they couldn't stand each other. I never would have known it from my first night clean."

Some differences are more extensive than just a personality clash. "Our city was divided along racial/ethnic lines," a group wrote. "We had two areas with big overlaps, and they didn't get along. Some members finally had enough and created an annual unity event bringing both areas together. It was sort of controversial at first, but every year it gets bigger and better. Since it started, our areas have started collaborating on H&I and public relations service, too."

Placing principles before personalities means cooperating whether or not I get along with someone. I will do my best to set aside differences for NA unity.

All NAWS subscriptions are free. We are able to provide this service due, in part, to the generous contributions of our members. If you are a member, you can make a contribution here: www.na.org/contribute

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NA World Services, Inc.
19737 Nordhoff Place
Chatsworth, CA 91311

Copyright © 2025 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

09/05/2025

Thank you Auntie Maxine Waters for all you do in the fight against HIV/AIDS we love you!

09/05/2025

05 September

Not hopelessly bad

Page 259

"We find that we suffer from a disease, not a moral dilemma. We were critically ill, not hopelessly bad."

Basic Text, p. 16

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For many of us, Narcotics Anonymous was the answer to a personal puzzle of long standing. Why did we always feel alone, even in a crowd, we wondered? Why did we do so many crazy, self-destructive things? Why did we feel so badly about ourselves so much of the time? And how had our lives gotten so messed up? We thought we were hopelessly bad, or perhaps hopelessly insane.

Given that, it was a great relief to learn we suffered from a disease. Addiction--that was the source of our problems. A disease, we realized, could be treated. And when we treat our disease, we can begin to recover.

Today, when we see symptoms of our disease resurfacing in our lives, we need not despair. After all, it's a treatable disease we have, not a moral dilemma. We can be grateful we can recover from the disease of addiction through the application of the Twelve Steps of NA.

❖

Just for Today: I am grateful that I have a treatable disease, not a moral dilemma. I will continue applying the treatment for the disease of addiction by practicing the NA program.

All NAWS subscriptions are free. We are able to provide this service due, in part, to the generous contributions of our members. If you are a member, you can make a contribution here: www.na.org/contribute

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NA World Services, Inc.
19737 Nordhoff Place
Chatsworth, CA 91311

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09/04/2025

04 September

Choosing Freedom

Page 256

"We are free to change our minds, to change our perspective, and to change our lives. Freedom means that we are no longer living by default."

Living Clean, Chapter 3, "Awakening to Our Spirituality"

In active addiction, we lived in a kind of default mode. We neglected responsibilities and disregarded the consequences of our actions or inaction. We were utterly vulnerable to our defects. We self-destructed and harmed others. A member offered this metaphor: "I was on an amusement park ride that started off fun . . . until it made me sick. But by then, I couldn't get off of it."

Although living by default made us miserable, even the slightest suggestion that we could change would elicit a defensive "That's just how I am!" Trapped is how we were! Trapped by our resistance to getting off the "ride" we were on. Fearing and avoiding change, still today, we're sometimes trapped by our willful denial and rigidity.

Outside ourselves, change is inevitable. Recovery helps us deal with this fact. Within ourselves, change is a net positive. It's a dynamic force exercised through the freedom of choice we now have. "Freedom isn't just a state of being," the member continued. "We practice it by choosing to change. We're no longer trapped on a nauseating ride. We leave the active addiction amusement park behind. Life in recovery is a whole different park!"

As we realize our true selves, we achieve some freedom in NA. Maybe it's less that we change and more that we become who we truly are. We grow less attached to our story; we can write a new one. We can reexamine aspects of ourselves we never thought to question--our religion, political leanings, musical tastes, even the food we eat. We get to be curious. We're free to not be so cool.

Being clean allows us to challenge our belief systems and behavior patterns, to be and to feel a little less trapped. We don't act on impulse as often; a breath provides a moment to respond with love, not fear. At our best, we are flexible, evolving, able to be influenced by others. There's freedom in open-mindedness. We learn how to say no and to say yes. Though there will be times when we fall back to default mode, we don't have to linger there. We have a new life to live.

I will live this day consciously and with purpose. In choosing to change, I'm choosing to be myself. I'm choosing freedom.

All NAWS subscriptions are free. We are able to provide this service due, in part, to the generous contributions of our members. If you are a member, you can make a contribution here: www.na.org/contribute

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NA World Services, Inc.
19737 Nordhoff Place
Chatsworth, CA 91311

Copyright © 2025 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

09/04/2025

04 September

Cluttered spirits

Page 258

"We try to remember that when we make amends we are doing it for ourselves."

Basic Text, p. 41

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As long as we still owe amends, our spirits are cluttered with things we don't need. We're carrying the extra load of an apology owed, a resentment held, or unexpressed remorse. It's like having a messy house. We could leave so we don't have to see the mess, or maybe just step over the piles of debris and pretend they aren't there. But ignoring the disorder won't make it disappear. In the end, the dirty dishes, the crumb-filled carpet, and the overflowing wastebaskets are still there, waiting to be cleaned up.

A cluttered spirit is just as hard to live with as a messy home. We always seem to be tripping over yesterday's leavings. Every time we turn around and try to go somewhere, there is something blocking our path. The more we neglect our responsibility to make amends, the more cluttered our spirits become. And we can't even hire someone to clean up. We have to do the work ourselves.

We gain a deep sense of satisfaction from making our own amends. Just as we would feel after we've cleaned our homes and have time to enjoy a bit of sunshine through sparkling windows, so will our spirits rejoice at our freedom to truly enjoy our recovery. And once the big mess is cleaned up, all we have to do is pick up after ourselves as we go along.

❖

Just for Today: I will clear away what's cluttering my spirit by making the amends I owe.

All NAWS subscriptions are free. We are able to provide this service due, in part, to the generous contributions of our members. If you are a member, you can make a contribution here: www.na.org/contribute

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NA World Services, Inc.
19737 Nordhoff Place
Chatsworth, CA 91311

Copyright © 2025 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

09/03/2025

03 September

Free to Be Authentically Me

Page 255

"We can be ourselves in the present moment without fear or apology, without the need for approval or justification."

Living Clean, Chapter 7, "Awakenings"

As we lived through active addiction, few of us felt free to be fully ourselves. We often needed to pretend to be someone we weren't to get what we wanted or needed, and it didn't take long before we were confused about who we really were--if we ever had any idea in the first place. We were so accustomed to wearing masks that we didn't know what our own faces looked like anymore.

The atmosphere of acceptance and welcome we found in NA was a breath of fresh air for those of us who couldn't breathe freely for a long, long time. The Basic Text tells us, "The masks have to go," and we notice that when the metaphorical masks come off, it's so much easier to breathe. For some of us, NA might be the very first place we have been where we suspected that we might be able to show our true selves to others. We may not feel that way in every meeting or with everyone we know in NA, but little by little, we become much more comfortable showing who we really are.

The freedom to be ourselves flows directly out of the sense of security we develop by being welcomed and accepted in NA. Admitting that we are addicts was the first of many admissions; each time we show a bit more of who we truly are to our fellow members, we increase our sense of security and become free to learn even more about ourselves. We accept who we are and lose the need for approval from others. We no longer feel the need to justify our existence. The insecurity that defined so much of who we were in active addiction fades away, and we become who we were meant to be all along.

I will take off my mask and breathe more easily, knowing that others in NA will accept me for who I am.

All NAWS subscriptions are free. We are able to provide this service due, in part, to the generous contributions of our members. If you are a member, you can make a contribution here: www.na.org/contribute

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NA World Services, Inc.
19737 Nordhoff Place
Chatsworth, CA 91311

Copyright © 2025 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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