Service Work

One of the suggestions in most all 12 step fellowships is to do service work. Regardless of one's membership in a 12 step fellowship, I truly believe that service work is one of life's great joys. Before I got clean, I used people. I was a leech. I used you for emotional support, money, transportation, pity, and anything else I could get that was beneficial to me. Part of the 12 steps is making right what we have done wrong. Service work is one of those ways.
Service work comes in many forms. For those who attend meetings it may be as simple as making the coffee or taking the trash out after a meeting. It may be more organized like joining a service committee like H & I that carries meetings to jails, rehabs, and other places that do not have regular access to meetings. For those not involved in the 12 step fellowships service may be volunteering at a homeless shelter or a food pantry. It might even be helping your elderly neighbor rake her yard. Regardless of the way we do service, I believe that it is one of the keys to staying clean.
I first got involved in service work my first go-round of recovery. I was heavily involved in H & I. It provided me with a feeling of accomplishment and gratitude. What better way to feel good about yourself than helping someone else. Not only does service help the one you are serving, it helps you just as much. There is no better feeling than being approached by someone you help and having them give you that nod. That nod of thanks that says "I don't want to tell you out loud about how thankful I am to you, but just know I appreciate it." It is also great when someone expressed their gratitude in words. Knowing that you have made even a small difference in someone's day is a great accomplishment.
There was a time when I was the one being served. I was the one who needed help and someone had to reach their hand out to me. It wasn't always a 12 step fellowship or a stranger, sometimes it was a close friend or a partner. Either way, knowing that someone cares enough to help you is a comforting feeling. Today, whenever I see someone who needs help, I stop and help. Not too long ago I saw a man pulling a boat on the side of the road. His boat trailer had a flat tire. He was from Africa and had been living about an hour away from where I live. He was going fishing and did not have a spare tire. All the tire stores were closed and it wasn't looking good. Another man stopped and we all assessed the situation. The man that stopped went home, found an old trailer tire, and sold it to the guy for $10. Quite a good deal. Once the African man and I finished putting the new tire on he asked me "What do I owe you." I told him, "you can repay me by helping the next guy out you see who needs some help." He thanked me and headed on his way to go fishing. Those little moments when we pass on wisdom, compassion, love, and kindness are the moments that restore our faith in humanity. If someone can love another human being even though they are a complete stranger then we as humans have a chance to unite as a people. Service work is what restores our faith in each other. Service work is what reminds us that everyone needs help at some point. Service work reminds us that the richest people in the world are the ones that give of themselves to others.


Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go. - Mother Teresa