My Sigh of Relief
In the 20 years of living with active alcoholism, my view of people and situations in my life had become severely distorted. I was plagued by guilt because I knew life was a gift to be celebrated, but
Where Do Al-Anon Slogans Come From?
Al‑Anon's slogans have developed through the years and have grown along with the fellowship. In the development of How Al‑Anon Works for Families & Friends of Alcoholics (B-32), a discussion regarding slogans resulted in concurrence that they evolve
The Group Inventory—“How Important Is It?”
When I think of the word “inventory,” the image of an old-time general store comes to mind, complete with a shopkeeper using a paper list and pencil. The shopkeeper assesses the inventory on the shelves—a good quantity of
It’s Elemental
There had not been an active alcoholic in my life for over 35 years when an event happened involving loss and betrayal that had nothing to do with alcohol. This event caused all of my past decisions, losses,
My Circle of Friends and Family
As the holidays near, I am reminded that my home and life were never of the holiday-greeting-card-TV-movie variety. While I was growing up, alcoholism always lingered, waiting to rear its head as family and friends gathered around tables
Why I Keep Coming Back
I’ve been a grateful member of Al‑Anon since February 14, 2018. For the previous five and a half years, I was a bitter, angry, and resentful member. I couldn’t bring myself to accept that alcoholism is a disease.
Your Year-End Opportunity for Giving
As the year draws to a close, we are reminded of the many ways your generous support has allowed us to carry the message of hope to the suffering families and friends of alcoholics. Al‑Anon Family Group Headquarters,
I’m Grateful for the Consistency and Unity Found in Al-Anon
Growing up in the family disease of alcoholism taught me not to make any plans, not to trust, not to take risks, and not to rock the boat. Having very little I could truly count on, I never
I Get When I Give
When I first started attending Al‑Anon meetings, I was emotionally and physically exhausted from the drama that ruled my marriage. I had just enough energy to drive myself to and from meetings. I had asked a woman from
A Little Wisdom Goes a Long Way
I’m a 61-year-old woman, but my time in Al‑Anon is short—only ten months, so I have little wisdom to share. As a relative newcomer, there seems to be so much to learn about Al‑Anon. The Twelve Steps are
The Priceless Gift of Al-Anon
What if there are people in the meeting that I know? What will they think of us? Will they judge my son? Will they judge me? What if they gossip about us around town? These were the questions
The Persistent Professional
I still very clearly remember getting to my first meeting. I had finally started to realize that I was not going to get my husband to stop drinking. I had already tried everything I could think of and