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.
So I have attended 2 meetings now. The first was very interesting, not so much the content, but the learning of the way it works.
The first was about the 10th step or something like that. And the one last night was about the 11th step or practice or whatever they call it.
I am just beginning with this and the step thing seems a little out of my reach right now. I love reading the books and I like the things I see there. Are there ever meetings where people just bring up random topics like those to discuss?
I am not putting down the stepping part and I actually added a comment last night about how I am working on understanding the higher power. I just feel like I got bored with the reading around the circle.
Am I not a good meeting candidate? Am I not being accepting enough? I don't know. Do you think I'm not ready or something?
The good news is thier on step 11 so one more to go ,hopfully they will simply start over again at step 1 hang in there , yes there are topic meetings its nice to mix them up see if yu can find another one u like and add it to your week , the steps are what give us our recovery from the effects of alcoholism on our lives , discussion is great living them is the challenge , keep going it will all become perfectly clear .
Every meeting is different. Just may be the one you've walked into happens to be a step meeting.
If there are more meetings in your area, it may be worthwhile to check them all out.
I've certainly found that I prefer some meetings in my area over others. Each has a different focus, each different members, but each brings a new, interesting experience to my journey of recovery.
Just so happy you're making it to meetings. Our newcomers are our most important members!
Look in the book or wherever it is you look for your meetings and it should say OD for Open Discussion. That is where most everything can be discussed and anyone can join the group. Sounds like you are going to S for Step meetings. For me, I had to wait for a little time in Alanon before I was comfortable going to a Step meeting.
Here in my state the Alanon book has a listing in the front with codes. O Open Meeting C Closed " D Discusiion S Step #(NM) Newcomers Meeting NS WH BK Lim Acc. BSA + Alateen & Alanon same place same time #AA meets same time and place or very near by..
Coffee made by AA LOL, tiredtonite. HA. I think that might be a good idea to try different groups. I did speak at length with one lady last night after the meeting. That was the best part. I was a little nervous to attend this one (at this locale), but now I feel more comfortable and I like to see the same people. It might take me a bit to explore. She seems to think they have different topics, guess I will have to stick with it and see.
Yeah, abbyal, they follow the month and I think one week is the step, and the third week is the tradition and the other two I don't know. So they should start back at one in Jan. My schedule only seems to allow every other wk so I may be stuck at step meetings. Oh well, I can still learn something.
Yes Aloha. I do believe the others at the meeting feel the same about newcomers. They are very welcoming and make me want to come back and make me feel like they want me to.
Thanks Samsgram. I will have to recheck my schedule listing. I believe this one just said closed. Where I live, I don't have a lot of options close by. I wouldn't mind traveling a bit further if I could find a buddy. Hey, if I get to know someone well enough from this group, they might want to do something like that.
I will keep myself open and I will attend again of course. I am not giving up this early in the game. I appreciate hearing these things from people who know more than I do.
I guess it's going to depend on how your group structures its meeting schedule.
Ours has a step meeting (it will be step 11 tonight) the first week of the month, next week is open topic, followed by a tradition meeting, then another open topic. If there is a fifth meeting in the month, it is open topic also.
Open topics are the chairperson's choice. We rotate chairs fairly often; I've only been there since January, and I've chaired half a dozen meetings already.
I know how you feel. As a newbie who's still back on step 2, I do struggle with sharing on some of the later steps. I mostly concentrate on listening to how the others in my group have worked them in their lives.
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Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could... Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense. - Emerson
That sounds about right. I went 2 wks ago, then this wk. Third wk for the last, and first wk for this meeting. It's hard because I can only go every other week right now with my schedule. I am hoping to change this.
Very helpful information. I think that must be the way this group is set up. Thanks!
