Heart of Illinois Narcotics Anonymous: Find Support Now

heart of illinois narcotics anonymous

If you want to use drugs, that’s your business. If you want to stop but can’t, that’s ours.

Attend one of our meetings or call the helpline (800) 539 0475 to find out how Narcotics Anonymous can help.

All of the efforts of Narcotics Anonymous are inspired by the primary purpose of our groups. To carry our message to addicts who still suffer.

Upon this common ground we stand committed.

Just For Today

March 24, 2026

Letting go of the past

Page 86

"It is not where we were that counts, but where we are going."

Basic Text, p. 23

When we first find recovery, some of us feel shame or despair at calling ourselves "addicts." In the early days, we may be filled with both fear and hope as we struggle to find new meaning in our lives. The past may seem inescapable and overpowering. It may be hard to think of ourselves in any way other than the way we always have.

While memories of the past can serve as reminders of what's waiting for us if we use again, they can also keep us stuck in a nightmare of shame and fear. Though it may be difficult to let go of those memories, each day in recovery can bring us that much farther away from our active addiction. Each day, we can find more to look forward to and less to punish ourselves for.

In recovery, all doors are open to us. We have many choices. Our new life is rich and full of promise. While we cannot forget the past, we don't have to live in it. We can move on.

Just for Today: I will pack my bags and move out of my past into a present filled with hope.