The Basic Chair

15/04/2026

08/04/2026

April 08, 2026

Happiness

"We come to know happiness, joy, and freedom."

Basic Text, p. 91

If someone stopped you on the street today and asked if you were happy, what would you say? "Well, gee, let's see... I have a place to live, food in the refrigerator, a job, my car is running... Well, yes, I guess I'm happy," you might respond. These are outward examples of things that many of us have traditionally associated with happiness. We often forget, however, that happiness is a choice; no one can make us happy.

Happiness is what we find in our involvement with Narcotics Anonymous. The happiness we derive from a life focused on service to the addict who still suffers is great indeed. When we place service to others ahead of our own desires, we find that we take the focus off ourselves. As a result, we live a more contented, harmonious life. In being of service to others, we find our own needs more than fulfilled.

Happiness. What is it, really? We can think of happiness as contentment and satisfaction. Both of these states of mind seem to come to us when we least strive for them. As we live just for today, carrying the message to the addict who still suffers, we find contentment, happiness, and a deeply meaningful life.

Just for Today: I am going to be happy. I will find my happiness by being of service to others.

08/04/2026

08/04/2026

Submitted for committee review...

08/04/2026

NCCNA CUSTOM for Gilbert Zabala

05/04/2026

April 05, 2026

Identification

"Someone finally knew the crazy thoughts that I had and the crazy things I'd done."


Addicts often feel terminally unique. We're sure that no one used drugs like we did or had to do the things that we did to get them. Feeling that no one really understands us can keep us from recovery for many years.

But once we come to the rooms of Narcotics Anonymous, we begin to lose that feeling of being "the worst" or "the craziest." We listen as members share their experiences. We discover that others have walked the same twisted path that we've walked and still have been able to find recovery. We begin to believe that recovery is available to us, too.

As we progress in our own recovery, sometimes our thinking is still insane. However, we find that when we share the hard time we may be having, others identify, sharing how they have dealt with such difficulties. No matter how troubled our thinking seems, we find hope when others relate to us, passing along the solutions they've found. We begin to believe that we can survive whatever we're going through to continue on in our recovery.

The gift of Narcotics Anonymous is that we learn we are not alone. We can get clean and stay clean by sharing our experience, our strength, and even our crazy thinking with other members. When we do, we open ourselves to the solutions others have found to the challenges we face.

Just for Today: I am grateful that I can identify with others. Today, I will listen as they share their experience, and I'll share mine with them.

04/04/2026

Nccna

03/04/2026

HEADED TO NCCNA IN SAC..... LOOKING FOR HUGS!

18/03/2026

March 18, 2026

The full message

"There is a special feeling for addicts when they discover that there are other people who share their difficulties, past and present."

Basic Text, pp. 55-56

The wealth of our recovery is too good to keep to ourselves. Some of us believe that when we talk in meetings, we should "remember the newcomer" and always try to carry a positive message. But sometimes the most positive message we can carry is that we are going through difficult times in our recovery and are staying clean in spite of them!

Yes, it's gratifying to send out a strong message of hope to our newer members. After all, no one likes a whiner. But distressing things happen, and life on life's terms can send shock waves even through the recovery of long-time members of Narcotics Anonymous. If we are equipped with the tools of the program, we can walk through such turmoil and stay clean to tell the tale.

Recovery doesn't happen all at once; it is an ongoing process, sometimes a struggle. When we dilute the fullness of our message by neglecting to share about the tough times we may walk through on our journey, we fail to allow newcomers the chance to see that they, too, can stay clean, no matter what. If we share the full message of our recovery, we may not know who benefits, but we can be sure someone will.

Just for Today: I will honestly share both the good times and the difficult times of my recovery. I will remember that my experience in walking through adversity may benefit another member.

18/03/2026

Every 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘈𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘢 𝘙𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 includes a survey open to all NA members. The results help participants at the World Service Conference prioritize recovery literature and service material to work on in the cycle ahead and choose Issue Discussion Topics for Fellowship discussion.

Fill out the survey here: na.org/surveys (it’s posted in 15 languages!) and help us spread the word.