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.
I came home last night after my local ftf (face to face) meeting and a really great meeting after the meeting at the local cafe, feeling great, having spent roughly 2 and a half hours with people in recovery.
Not wanting the wave to end, I popped into the chatroom. I was amazed. This was about an hour after the pm meeting had ended and the room had over 20 people in it, many of these were newcomers.
It was wonderful.
It was chaos.
It was a group of Al-anon members and future al-anon members (I hope ) interacting outside the structure of a meeting.
I saw no less than 4 conversations going on at the same time. I personally witnessed 2 people come into the room who had never been to MIP before. The loving hand of al-anon reached out to these two people and invited them into the room.
I heard one of these need to share about problems in their life. People listened, people shared experience, people offered encouragement. Some people continued on with other conversations that had been going on. Some serious, some not so serious.
It so reminded me of my time as a child when my family would get together at grandma's for Christmas or Thanksgiving. A large group of people with a common bond. I can remember hearing all the different conversations going on wanting to listen to them all....some serious....some light. People laughing, people sometimes in heated debates about who would win the super bowl this year. Some talking about health issues, how school or work was going..etc ... etc..etc. Of course I couldnt keep up with all of them and sometimes it would just turn into this cacophony of noise that somehow managed to be soothing and warm. Something you just wanted to sink into like a warm bed, take a deep breath and rest.
It was a special time for me in my life. I looked forward to those trips all year.
Last night was like Christmas for me in the chatroom.
I saw the gift of people sharing themselves.
I just sat back, because I was tired I didnt interact too much beyond greeting people as they came and went. And I didnt need to. Everything was being taken care of.
It was just wonderful. Needing to get off to bed, I left the chat room feeling peaceful and hopeful. Excited about the future. A future wherein I can look forward to the continued gift my HP, whom I call God, offers to us all. The gift that just keeps on giving!
I love how a certain sound or smell can take me back someplace in my past. I don't have a large family so our gatherings were rather small, but the imagery of your post makes me feel like I know just what it was like at your family gatherings.
Pretty cool !
Bob
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You are a perfect child of God and God and I love you just the way you are! (added by me...in that special alanon way)
Sometimes when I hear the baseball game on the radio it reminds me of when I was a little girl. I would be in my bedroom laying on my bed and could hear neighbors outside having a cookout and listening to the game. They seemed to be such simple and laid back times of the week..Throw in the smell of freshly cut grass adds even more to the memory.
Hi David...so glad for you that you experienced this wonder. It is so pleasant when an action or event takes you back to an earlier time. Since we're both South Texans, I KNEW it hadn't snowed!!!!!
Caring, kind wishes to you, friend. Diva
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"Speak your truth quietly and clearly..." Desiderata
David-my personal family is a lot like that too! My husband and my brothers-in-law feel really uneasy when all of us get together because there is nothing but happy chaos going on. Everyone talking at the same time and still we all know what is going on with everyone. It's crazy and yet so comforting!!
((( David,))) I agree .....there is nothing like sitting back when the room is full especially just before or right after the meeting (in the chatroom) listening and watching all these people come together. A wonderful spirit of love filling the room. It does remind me of reunion time. Thanks so much for the post (((BigHug)))
I love the comparison between MIP and family. I can say I love you in these rooms more freely than I can in my own family these days and that is ok - you all know and understand that so well.
The other thing that your post made me think about was the 4th tradition. No matter where I go I will find Alanon meetings and gatherings and I know I will be accepted because we all share common principles - the steps, the traditions, and the concepts. That is what bonds us all together. Besides our common experience we have a common structure now and that is what a family really should be like.
) interacting outside the structure of a meeting. 
A wonderful spirit of love filling the room. It does remind me of reunion time. 
Thanks so much for the post (((Big
Hug)))
