“These people won’t understand a gay partnership—How can I talk to them?”
I was having problems with my alcoholic boyfriend. Although I passed the Al-Anon office every day on my way to work, I said to myself, “These people won’t understand a gay partnership—How can I talk to them?”
When my boyfriend and I broke up for the first time, I finally walked into the Al-Anon office. I didn’t tell them the whole story and I wasn’t crazy about all the God talk, but I realized that these people knew more about alcoholism than I did. I could learn from them. The beauty of Al-Anon is that they could also learn from me.
I attended that Al-Anon meeting through the final break-up with my boyfriend, my parents’ deaths, professional crises and a decision to start a new career in another country. My Al-Anon group saved my sanity, and I am lifelong friends with the members of my group.

Timothy F., New York