I imagined a bandage covering an open wound: the alcoholism of someone else and its effects on my life. I covered it carefully, hiding it from everyone around me because I did not want to reveal its cause.
Over time, and with the help of Al‑Anon, I realized that only after I was willing to remove the bandage, look at the wound, and openly discuss it with others who also tended to hide their wounds, would I begin to heal. I had to accept that being willing to say my naked truth was the only way to heal. Al‑Anon gave me a safe place to do this. I had to discover the courage to let the wound heal over, even if it left a scar, trusting that I no longer needed to cover it up to be okay.
I learned from the Steps, the slogans, and, most importantly, my Sponsor that we can heal our wounds safely and without judgment in the rooms of Al‑Anon. Today, I look at my scar and understand that it no longer has any power over me.
By Barbi T.
The Forum, June 2026
Feel free to reprint this article on your service arm website or newsletter, along with this credit line: Reprinted with permission of The Forum, Al‑Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA.