The unity, the effectiveness, and even the survival of A.A. will always depend upon our continued willingness to give up some of our personal ambitions and desires for the common safety and welfare. Just as sacrifice means survival for the individual alcoholic, so does sacrifice mean unity and survival for the group and for A.A.’s entire Fellowship. AS BILL SEES IT, p. 220
I have learned that I must sacrifice some of my personality traits for the good of A.A. and, as a result, I have been rewarded with many gifts. False pride can be inflated through prestige but, by living Tradition Six, I receive the gift of humility instead. Cooperation without affiliation is often deceiving. If I remain unrelated to outside interests, I am free to keep A.A. autonomous. Then the Fellowship will be here, healthy and strong for generations to come.
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The traditions are the guide for sacrifice. Although at first glance I thought the traditions were rules, I began to understand that they are not rules at all but the means to keep AA open to all. To not become another program skewed by personal agendas and beliefs that work counter to attraction but instead propogate seperation.