Promotion or Attraction?
As the calendar turns to a new year, I reflect on where my life was before Al‑Anon and where it is now. I reflect on my good fortune to have found a place that has shown me warmth,
Rotation of Service
Many Al‑Anon service position terms last for three years. In my case, it was almost a perfect formula because by the end of three years, I felt like I finally knew what I was doing. But then it
Blind-sided
Like alcoholism, the deer came out of nowhere. My husband and I were on the motorcycle almost home from a ride. I saw it first and yelled, “There’s a deer!” and then bam the deer broad-sided our motorcycle.
Out of the Emptiness and into Fulfillment
One day I woke up and discovered that my 25-year marriage was empty. I found myself feeling the most empty and lonely when I realized I was trying to love someone who was no longer there. I wondered,
Moving On
I remember the pain of dealing with my alcoholic partner in the area of intimacy. Even though he was right next to me, I was alone and aching for human touch, warmth, and affection. Months would go by,
The Gifts I Have Received
When I came to my first Al‑Anon meeting, I did not come to get my mother well. I knew I was a mess. I knew, too, that there was something very wrong with my family, but I couldn’t
Made a Searching and Fearless Inventory of…Our Group?
Taking an occasional look at my role in my home group can help me carry the Al‑Anon message clearly and consistently. How often am I of service by opening and closing the meeting? In what ways do I
I Was Welcomed with Open Arms
When I walked into my first Al‑Anon meeting, the room was filled only with women enthusiastically chatting with one another. As a man, I asked if the meeting was for women only. The response was welcoming, cheerful, and
Al-Anon Threw Me a Lifeline
I had just given birth to my first child—a beautiful baby girl—and I thought all my problems were going to disappear. I thought I was going to be the perfect mother and wife, and I was going to
Just as Sick as the Alcoholic
I heard about Al‑Anon many years ago when my therapist suggested I attend to help with my alcoholic husband. I had lived with the disease with my father, and now I found myself in its clutches again. I
Public “Inreach”—Sharing the Hope of Alateen in Al-Anon
I volunteered to be an Alateen Group Sponsor when a high school guidance counselor contacted Al‑Anon. The counselor knew about Alateen and had five students to refer to an Alateen group, which then formed very quickly out of
Through to the Other Side
Prior to attending my first Al‑Anon meeting, I often wondered why things happen the way they do. Why do I always seem to be digging myself out of one mess or another? I can’t remember a time before