“The Forum” Magazine Stories2024-08-30T14:41:15-04:00
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With Clarity Comes Opportunity—Serving as Trustee

Have you ever considered applying to serve as a member of the Board of Trustees or wondered about what’s required? In 2021, the World Service Conference discussed this topic and identified that potential candidates were seeking to understand

My Journey as an At-Large Literature Committee Member

Shortly after my District position ended, a notice in The Forum magazine caught my attention: the World Service Office (WSO) was looking for At-Large member applications for the Literature Committee. I decided to apply. The application asked for

There Was Al-Anon

Looking back on the years of chaos with my son, I like to believe that everything happened for a reason. I used to drive past familiar places that would bring back sad memories, and my heart would begin

Letting Go of Second-Guessing

It happened again. Soon after I shared my honest feelings with a loved one, I doubted myself. Had I said too much? Would it have been better if I’d kept quiet? Growing up gay in a home affected

Shifting My Focus to Myself

Before I came into Al-Anon, my focus was on anyone but me. It was mostly on my husband, who had just entered an outpatient rehab program. My sole purpose was to be supportive to him and to ensure

Public Outreach Posters: The Origin Story!

The Al‑Anon public outreach poster designs were inspired by requests from various Areas after seeing a poster depicting a woman holding a child trapped in a bottle. The original poster was created in Florida, and the World Service

Navigating Recovery with al-anon.org

Alcoholism is a cunning, baffling, and powerful disease, manifesting in ways that can leave families and loved ones feeling helpless and overwhelmed. In my journey, coming to understand that I didn’t cause it, can’t control it, and can’t

Walking the Walk: Speaking Step Twelve into Action

“Actions speak louder than words,” a phrase ingrained in me since childhood, has seamlessly transitioned into my Al‑Anon program, emphasizing the importance of moving beyond mere talk and embracing the opportunity to walk the walk. As I think

The First Step to Healing

I think for a long time the only power I felt I had was to get enraged. I felt powerless in every other way. It’s funny that I think I’m in charge and intimidating when I get angry,

Lost-and-Found Self

I was addicted to my son. Coming to that realization was a major aha moment for me. For years, I hadn’t been able to separate my son from his disease. I thought I just needed to “fix” his mental

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