"This is a selfish program." Ever hear that said at an AA meeting? I cringe every time I hear it. The reason is that I lived a life that was purely selfish for so many years- Doing what I wanted to do and not really caring about the affects on others-Not helping when i could and should have.
The Big Book states it perfectly- Selfishness - self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles.
So the saying "This is a selfish program" bothers me as much now as it did when I first heard it.
Actually I don't think the words capture what the saying is meant to imply. My interpretation now is that we need to take care of ourselves as a priority so we can be of maximum service to others. If we lose the focus on our program of recovery and drink- we are no longer any use to ourselves or to others. It reminds me of when you are flying; The instructions in case the plane loses oxygen is " first put the oxygen mask on yourselves and then help others do the same".
Thoughts?
In my first 15 months involved in AA, it seems as if every time I hear a person use this expression--it's when they're trying to explain away some questionable or bad behavior. To me it approaches the lines of rationalization & justification in most of the instances it is used. Just my opinion!!!!!!!
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