The Second Tradition of Alcoholics Anonymous says, “For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority—a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.”
For a long time, that tradition sounded noble but kind of abstract to me—something about humility and group unity, sure, but not something I thought really applied to my day to day life. That is, until I found myself a few years into my home group quietly wrestling with feelings I didn’t really expect: envy, displacement, and a bruised ego.
I’ve been part of the same home group for over three years now. It’s a meeting that has shaped me—spiritually, emotionally, and socially. I’ve found some of my closest friends there, grown in my recovery, and even discovered what service truly means. But lately, I’ve noticed a new generation of sober people showing up. They’re younger, more energetic, creative—some might even say “cool.” They bring in new ideas, new inside jokes, and a different kind of energy. And if I’m honest, part of me didn’t like it at first.
When I first noticed the shift, my instinct was defensive. Don’t they know I’m one of the leaders here? I had put in my time, helped start new formats, welcomed newcomers, set up chairs, made coffee, shared when no one else would, and stayed late to clean up. I had a sense of ownership in that meeting, like it was ours—and more specifically, mine.
But then life outside the rooms got a little complicated. I had to step back for a bit. I didn’t stop going to meetings, but I wasn’t showing up with the same consistency or focus. And when I came back, things changed. New people were running the meeting. The tone was different. There were new phrases, new rhythms in how the meeting flowed. It didn’t feel like “my” meeting anymore.
That’s when the discomfort set in.
At first, I blamed the meeting. I told myself it wasn’t the same, that it had lost its old spirit, that it had gotten “sick.” But when I took an honest inventory, I realized something deeper was going on—I was just jealous. I missed feeling like I was at the center of things, like my presence really mattered. My ego didn’t know how to handle the fact that the meeting was thriving without me.
That realization was humbling to say the least.
AA’s spirit of rotation is designed exactly for this reason. It reminds us that leadership in recovery isn’t about control or recognition—it’s about service. Every position, from trusted servant to coffee maker, is temporary for a reason. We serve, and then we step aside so others can grow. The Second Tradition isn’t just about trusting a “group conscience”; it’s about trusting that a loving Higher Power works through the collective, not just one person.
The group doesn’t belong to me or any individual person. It belongs to all of us—and to the next person who walks through that door.
In my quieter moments, I’ve been trying to sit with this idea of the dialectic truth—that two things can be true at once. It’s okay to feel the sting of change, and it’s also okay, even necessary, to celebrate it. It’s healthy for me to branch out and explore new meetings, to broaden my circle, to let my recovery evolve. And it’s equally important to honor the newcomers who are showing up with fresh eyes and open hearts.
After all, I was once the new, enthusiastic person coming into the room, full of ideas and energy. I probably annoyed someone who had been there longer, too. Someone who had carried the meeting through tough seasons before I ever showed up. Someone who quietly let me take their place, trusting the group would be okay.
Now it’s my turn to do the same.
What I’m learning is that the spirit of rotation isn’t just about service positions—it’s about letting go. It’s about surrendering the illusion of control and trusting that my Higher Power and the collective wisdom of the group will keep things moving forward, even if it looks different than what I imagined.
It’s also teaching me gratitude. When I zoom out and look at the bigger picture, I can see the beauty in how AA evolves. Every generation brings new life, new language, and new ways of connecting to the same timeless principles. The core never changes—people helping people—but the expression of it keeps growing.
So now, when I walk into my home group and see the new faces laughing together before the meeting starts, I try to smile. I still feel that flicker of nostalgia for how things “used to be,” but I also feel proud. This meeting is alive. It’s doing exactly what it’s supposed to do—welcoming people in, making space for growth, and carrying the message forward.
If I’m truly practicing the Second Tradition, then my role is to support that—to be one of the many trusted servants who help create space for others to lead, even when that means stepping back myself.
Change in recovery can feel uncomfortable, but it’s also sacred. It keeps us humble. It reminds us that AA isn’t built around personalities or individual effort—it’s built around a spiritual design that thrives when we let go of ownership and lean into trust.
Today, I’m learning to embrace that. To honor my home group not as my meeting, but as our meeting—a living, breathing reflection of collective grace. The fact that it grows and changes without me isn’t a loss; it’s proof the program works.
And as for me, I’ll keep showing up, finding my place in the circle, and celebrating the beautiful, humbling truth that recovery—and life—always keeps moving forward.
