The act of coming to Fellowship is an admission that we need help. Are we thinking of our personal and spiritual development as we drag ourselves into our first meeting? For most of us, the answer would be no! We just want to stop using. Sharing in recovery does pose some risks. Rejection is possible and real. We expose ourselves to feeling shame and guilt. And who wants to experience any of that? Sometimes the risk is about accountability; if we tell someone what we’re contemplating or feeling, then we might have to do something about it. However, withholding and going it alone make us less safe. We become more fearful, our isolation intensifies, and then acting out can seem like a good idea.
As we grow in recovery, the pain we experience from isolating or acting out eventually outweighs the pain of sharing what’s going on with us. Our experience of sharing with other members demonstrates that, overall, we find acceptance, support, and love. We learn that it takes courage to be vulnerable. Our desire to grow as recovering individuals eclipses our fears of feeling exposed.
I will assess what I may be concealing and where I’m afraid of being vulnerable. I may not make the choice to ask for help today, but I know I’m safer if I do.