I believed that my alcoholic husband was physically sick, so I took him to doctors. I couldn’t believe it when the doctor said, “He’s drunk.” I had denied what I’d seen, smelled, and heard—opening cans and vanishing bottles—and now I could no longer deny that alcohol was the problem. I went to my first Al‑Anon meeting and was greeted with welcome, kindness, and patience. The people there understood what I could not say out loud—that I was afraid and felt unwanted, unloved, and alone. They simply told me to “Keep Coming Back” over and over, until I believed that they really wanted me to come back. I did, and many years later, I am still going to meetings on a regular basis. I have found serenity—a calm acceptance of what life brings—and the tools with which to help me live this thing called life.
By Patti N., California
The Forum, October 2019
Why I keep coming back to meetings is like taking antibiotic meds. To keep the disease at bay or possibly disappear, to support other folks in their efforts to recover themselves and myself. And keep my spirituality desire fed. Not to mention the wisdom and friendship of our members, new and longtime. And finally, the drive “over the river and thru the woods” is great. These are the reasons I keep coming back.
Yes, I’m so grateful to have been blessed by our program and to remember others who were there for me. I try to pass it forward. I hope that I can be there when anyone, anywhere reaches out and that something I share may help someone else.