December Tradition of the Month
Cindy
December! This is the season for giving and receiving gifts. It is
also a time for cultural and religious celebrations of light during a
time when many of us live where our days are shorter, colder and
darker. I hope this December has been a joyous one for you and yours.
Perhaps this is the time when CLA members should be especially
grateful for the gift we receive every day, one day at a time—the gift
of anonymity. This is the gift that is announced in our title,
Clutterers Anonymous, and indeed in all the anonymous 12-Step
programs.
This is the month of CLA’s 12th Tradition, which reminds us of the
importance of anonymity. Although this is the final tradition, it
speaks to our program’s origin and our roots of privacy, safety, and
the freedom to share our experience, strength and hope. What we say
here stays here. We can share our feelings without criticism, gossip
or reprisal. This is a special gift that all CLA members receive at
every meeting.
To learn more about this and other Traditions, read from AA’s Twelve
Steps and Twelve Traditions, which relates how the 12-Step programs
began and how AA developed and grew. This is not just the history of
an institution; it also provides guidance to each one of us in living
the Traditions in all areas of our lives.
December’s Tradition is the 12th:
Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever
reminding us to place principles before personalities.
The long version of the 12th Tradition as included in the Big Book of
Alcoholics Anonymous: And finally, we of Alcoholics Anonymous believe
that the principle of Anonymity has an immense spiritual significance.
It reminds us that we are to place principles before personalities;
that we are actually to practice a genuine humility. This to the end
that our great blessings may never spoil us; that we shall forever
live in thankful contemplation of Him who presides over us all
.
Thank you for supporting the first Traditions Workshop held in
November. We will let you know the date for the next workshop, which
will cover Traditions four, five, and six. Thank you for all your
service to Clutterers Anonymous.
In fellowship,
Kathy H.
CLA WSO Chairperson
P.S. If you are interested in helping us plan future workshops, please
contact us by email at cla...@hotmail.com or reply to this email. We
need volunteers from both telephone meetings and face-to-face
meetings.