Mandatory Attendance

Alcohol
1
I was sitting in a Saturday Noon meeting (not my 'home group' but one that I attend every Saturday) and there was a fella there who told the following story:
QUOTE
I was talking to an alcoholic who was asking about The Program of Alcoholics Anonymous and he said, "Do you have to go to those meetings EVERY day? Why are you going today?" I said, "I don't usually GET to go to the ones on Saturday, and I'm looking forward to it.

I think what people don't understand is that AA meetings aren't mandatory for recoverying alcoholics like me, but they're more like sanctuary. I can specifically remember the period where I dreaded, "having to go to a meeting," and it changing to "getting to go to a meeting." It's when I finally realized that it was working and that I was sharing something special with other men and women just like myself. No pretensions, judgement, harshness, condemnation or belittling, but humans. BE-ing. Sober and laughing, joking, hugging, encouraging... Loving. My guess is that MY HP's more apt to smile down upon THAT group than is some of my other 'adventures...'
Yup. It's the most important thing I do everyday. Feed My Sobriety.
I've been e-mailing with a friend on this board since late last year, and they reminded me that the recency of watching new people come in, destitute, ashen, beaten, and smashed; swearing they're only there because of the Court Order, that I'm just one drink away from right where they are. And it keeps me coming back, too.
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That's a nice post Skg, and I can relate to the feeling at AA even though I've still only been to open meetings. I told a friend that when people share you can hear Angels are listening. It really is a special place, more spiritual and moving than any church I've ever visited I think.

I read on the gratitude thread that you'd been in a predicament recently. I hope whatever has been happening is past and that it hasn't been to rough for you and yours.

Take care,
Martin
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I've made a decision to try and make only closed meetings....

the mood and atmosphere is a heck of a lot more intense yet relaxed (if that makes sense) without people with court cards showing up.....


the revolving door atmosphere (of open meetings) kind of trivializes some meetings for me
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QUOTE
. It really is a special place, more spiritual and moving than any church I've ever visited I think.

I concur. But then, spirituality and religion aren't the same thing, are they? "Religion is for those who don't want to go to Hell; Spirituality is for those of us who have already been there..." anonymous
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skg I agree with Martin that it is a nice post that you have there. My sponsor has been sober for going on 12 years and he still goes to 3 meetings a week. Take care.