I would like to say thanks - Al-Anon Family Group

Gailey · ~*Service Worker*~

I would like to say thanks

RLC · ~*Service Worker*~

Gailey,

I feel the very same way as you. I am thankful for the members of this board who are there for me and all the newbee's who come here for ESH. I am also thankful for the "old timers" who were there for me a my first f2f meeting over three years ago. Lots of times a newcomer will ask in one on the members in our f2f meetings, why do you keep attending the meetings after years of your Alocholic living with soberity? The answer is simple and always the same, because members were here for me the first night I walked through the doors of Al-Anon.

Even though we never graduate from this program, and we attend f2f meetings for ourselves first, we need to remember how important it is to be there for others when a newcomer walks through the doors of Al-Anon or comes to this board for the first time.

It is called giving back. And, Gailey there are a bunch of unselfish, caring, and loving members on this board with tons of ESH who take time each and every day to give it all away. I tip my hat to them all.

HUGS,
RLC

-- Edited by RLC on Friday 6th of November 2009 11:15:45 AM

Mandy123 · ~*Service Worker*~

Gail,
I was at a speakers meeting recently and he said that everything he has gotten out of his program was borrowed, and you should ALWAYS give back what is borrowed.

My "A" is fresh out of my house and his addiction is not so in my face anymore. But I KNOW I will not be leaving program.....if I do I know where I will end up. I will either end up taking him back or with another one. No thanks.....when I am ready I want a healthy man.

I to am grateful for those keep coming back.....that is where we get our wisdom from.

Yours in recovery,
Mandy

hotrod · ~*Service Worker*~

Hi Gail,

I guess I am one of the members who no longer live with active alcoholism but still attend alanon meetings.

The reason I do that is that the DISEASE is still very much present in ME. If I do not use the spiritual tools of this program and meet with others who do likewise, I will revert to my old pre- alanon tools and crash and burn. I tried that many years ago and discovered that I need the fellowship of others in order to maintain my sanity.

I believe, I like the alcoholic, have a DAILY repreive from my insanity.

Without all my alanon friends and this board I would no doubt revert to :

Isolating
Get on The Pity Pot 24/7
Be angry and Hostile to Everyone and so start to again build my Resentment list instead of my gratitude list.
Become immobile and depressed and unable to participate in life. This program is MY Lifeline and I will never not need it.

Many years ago I did think I could do this alone as I had the tools and belief in HP . I was proven wrong.

This is truly a fellowship of equals.

Have a Blessed Day

Jerry F · ~*Service Worker*~

Thanks Hot Rod...you read my heart. I come back for two reasons. One reason is
that I am still a student and have to stay in the believe that I don't know everything
and if I don't know more this cunning, powerful and baffling disease can and will
take over even without my knowing just like before I got into the program.
The second reason I keep coming back is because Al-Anon and AA and MIP are
the only places I have ever witnessed miracles for real! I get to see them start,
evolve and then become reality. My Higher Power works magic here and wants
me to enjoy it and pass it on.

(((((Gailey))))) smile

Jen · ~*Service Worker*~

Ditto, what Jerry said. LOL

Also, I asked a long term AA member one time,"How do you decide how many meetings to go to each week?" He said, "I decide how many I need for me, plus one." So if I need 2 meetings a week for me, I try to get to 3.

Another reason I keep coming back is that I have seen a serious Al-Anon relapse, and believe me, its not pretty. This person has serious long time in the program, but has stopped attending meetings and has started interfering in others lives in a seriously unhealthy way. I was very manipulative and miserable before Al-anon. I do not ever want to go there again. This disease is cunning, baffling and powerful. It waits for us to let our guard down or get too full of ourselves, then pounces on us like a cat on an unsuspecting mouse.

The other thing, like Jerry said, is that I love watching a newcomer who comes to their first meeting scared and hollow-eyed, start to relax. Then as they come each week, the bags under their eyes go away, they realize they are not alone, and they start to sleep better, take better care of themselves, and then slowly they start to live again. It is a miracle and wonderful to watch. I can't imagine not being there for that.

Sponsoring someone and watching them grow and learn to live again, all while they teach me so much about taking my own direction, is also amazing.

So I will stick around. Al-Anon saved my life and my family. I am truely grateful.

In recovery,

abbyal · ~*Service Worker*~

Hello Gailey , I hope u never quit going to meetings this is a program for living YOur life alcoholic or not . the continuous reminders to Live and Let live , remind me to stay out of other peoples lives while I get on with mine .
Easy does it reminds me to slow down and enjoy a great day .
This too shall pass reminds me that good or bad , it will pass .
Great reminders for me to live my life with dignity and grace ,
i keep comming here to pass on what I have learned in this program to change my life , I was told if I don't give it away i don't get to keep it .
I have seen so many people leave our rooms only to come back a few yrs later worse off than they were before , i promised myself I would not be one of them .
I ahve not lived with active alcoholism for 20 yrs Husb is sober , I continue to go to meetings because today * I know that I am my biggest problem . *

The material presented here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method to exchange information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal level.