Fear V Unity

Fear:  An unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.  (Ed. Note: I italicized the word belief.  It's interesting to me that the unpleasant emotion isn't caused by the scary things but rather by my mental state).

Belief:  Mental acceptance of a claim as true.  (Ed. Note: Same thing with the word claim.  Nothing factual.  A mental construct.  I claim that I'm the best looking guy in the world.  See how that goes?).

Heard this anecdote:  Sponsor to sponsee who is struggling with fear: "So, you're telling yourself scary stories again, aren't you?"

Fear is mentioned 66 times in The Big Book.  Whenever I see that kind of repetition I interpret it as emphasis.

Unity:  The state or fact of being united or combined into one; the state of being joined as a whole.  

Tradition One (the first Tradition, the Tradition at the top of the list): "Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends on A.A. unity."

How much more evidence of the importance of our concept of unity is needed than to look at the fracturing of our society today?  We're not going in the same direction any more.  I like my independence just fine but it's not always the most important thing.

Go it alone at your own risk.