When we first came to NA, many of us had great difficulty accepting the spiritual principles underlying this program-and for good reason. No matter how we'd tried to control our addiction, we'd found ourselves powerless. We grew angry and frustrated with anyone who suggested there was hope for us, because we knew better. Spiritual ideas may have had some bearing on other peoples' lives, but not on ours.

Despite our indifference or intolerance toward spiritual principles, we were drawn to Narcotics Anonymous. There, we met other addicts. They'd been where we'd been, powerless and hopeless, yet they'd found a way not only to stop using but to live and enjoy life clean. They spoke of the spiritual principles that had pointed the way for them to this new life of recovery. For them, these principles were not just theories but a part of their practical experience. Yes, we had good reason to be skeptical, but these spiritual principles spoken of by other NA members really seemed to work.

Once we admitted this, we didn't necessarily accept every single spiritual idea we heard. But we did start to think that, if these principles had worked for others, just maybe they'd work for us, too. For a beginning, that willingness was enough.

For many of us, when we were new to NA, getting clean—and staying clean—was the hardest thing we'd ever been through. Our life seemed impossibly dark, and it took every bit of effort not to go back to our old lives. But we didn't pick up, no matter what. We survived that time, in large part, because of our connection to other recovering addicts. A member shared: "In my first meeting someone told me, 'I understand you, and you don't have to go through this alone.' For years, people had said so many things to me, trying to help, but until NA, no one said they'd had the same experience—and that they'd survived it."

However, staying clean doesn't mean the difficult times are over. Inevitably, "no matter what" situations await all of us. Sometimes these challenges can add to our lives in significant ways: We get off the street and live on our own for the first time or we buy property or start a family or a business. For many of us, we experience catastrophic events that easily eclipse the suffering of early recovery. We have to care for an aging parent or we lose a child to the disease of addiction. There's economic hardship, divorce or widowhood, infertility, cancer or chronic pain; the list is endless.

And so is the depth of the empathy and experience of our NA Fellowship. None of us has to go through any hardship alone. We get through these times clean, just as we did when we were new—with willingness to accept help from those who understand us and who have endured similar situations.

The member continued: "Without each other, we are stumbling around in the dark. I let people in, not only because I needed help, but because allowing others who love us to support us in our time of need also shows compassion and generosity." Speaking about the loss of his spouse to suicide, he added, "Ultimately, my own struggle became more bearable because I helped someone going through the same thing. That mutual aid is empathy in action."