When I first entered AA and heard the word “service,” I thought: “Oh no — not for me; sounds like more work to do.” At that point, I had enough on my plate just trying to get out of bed in the morning and trying to understand how sitting in a room full of strangers was going to help me. I thought service was for old–timers, not a newbie like me — a shaking, emotional wreck. But then something wonderful happened. A newcomer came to a meeting and sat down next to me (I was maybe five weeks in at this point). She was physically shaking, fearful and unsure. I began to explain how the meeting ran, the format, how I was feeling, and that I was still very new to the program. I watched the old– timers sit back and let me guide the newcomer through the meeting. On the journey home, I felt elated, lighter and peaceful. Without even realising it, I had done my first act of service. And it felt great. From that moment on, I got it. The act of helping others and being of service to the fellowship helps keep us sober, one day at a time. How wonderful it is to live with purpose, to be useful and to be needed instead of feeling useless, disgraceful or worthless. I started to understand the principle behind the action: getting out of myself. Of course, the lack of confidence and self–belief is still there. With every act of service I automatically revert to “I can’t do that”, “why would you ask me?” or  “I’ll just cry and mess it up”. But through gentle guidance from my sponsor and fellows, I’ve discovered

the joy from connection that comes from being of service. I’ve learned that willingness and action matter more than confidence. Every single time I show up, I grow! Service keeps me present in our community. It brings consistency and structure. It has taught me humility and self–respect, to listen more and speak less. It’s not about me. It’s about being there for the next person. I need to be reliable. I am accountable. As of today, I have done and continue to serve multiple AA positions, each with varying degrees of intensity, commitment and responsibility. The roles may differ greatly in form, but each one brings me a sense of meaning, belonging and fulfilment. No matter how big or small the task, service keeps me grounded. It reminds me of where I came from and, most importantly, helps me stay sober, one day at a time. I have learnt that the greatest way to keep what I’ve been given is to give it away. I mean, that cake won’t bake itself, will it?