An Open Heart and Mind
When I first came to Al‑Anon many, many years ago, I did not understand what the program was about. I felt a small sense of peace, but I ran away, which was typical of me, and I did
Courage to See the Good
Some days, all I notice in my partner are the things that drive me crazy, even though he is sober. My nerves are on edge. It feels like the same tension repeating over and over. How do I
Turning Unmanageability into Creativity
I’ve been in Al‑Anon for five years. During this time, I attempted an intervention for my husband, which did not go well. After that, we separated, and now I am in the process of divorcing after 16 years
2026 World Service Conference Mail
In April, Al-Anon’s 66th World Service Conference will convene in Newport News, Virginia, USA. The Conference, Al‑Anon’s annual business meeting, provides guidance to the World Service Office (WSO) on service matters that are brought to its attention.Delegates and other
Al-Anon’s Time Machine: A Journey Back 75 Years
Hop aboard the Al-Anon Time Machine and travel back through 75 years of Al-Anon history to our beginnings in 1951! Al-Anon began as a grassroots fellowship of families and friends of A.A. members. In 1951, Cofounders Lois W.
Willingness and the Collateral Benefits of Service – Part Two
Welcome back! Did something from Part One (published in the March 2026 issue of The Forum) resonate with you? Perhaps it was learning what the roles of Board of Trustees and Executive Committee members entail, or maybe you’re curious
Willingness and the Collateral Benefits of Service
If you are like me, sometimes service commitments don’t inspire excitement. When I first heard the terms Board of Trustees and Executive Committee, they sounded like another room in a house I wasn’t allowed to enter. They sounded
RIASA 2025—Fostering Unity and Service
In October 2025, the “Reunion Iberoamerica de Servicios Al‑Anon” (RIASA) was held virtually over two days. The theme was “El fruto del amor es el servicio en la unidad” (The Fruit of Love Is Service in Unity). Fifteen
Reflections from the WSO Archivist on 75 Years of Al‑Anon History
As Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc. prepares to commemorate 75 years of help and hope in 2026, I reflect on the fellowship’s long, remarkable journey and the role of the World Service Office (WSO) Archives in preserving its story. The Archives
A Community of Understanding
Fourteen months ago, I was overwhelmed with anxiety and felt completely broken. My desire to control was off the charts as I watched my beautiful 38-year-old daughter—the mother of a precocious five-year-old and wife of a kind and loyal
My Quiet Half-Hour
“Just for today I will have a quiet half hour all by myself and relax.” I had somehow lost track of this wonderful suggestion from Al-Anon’s Just for Today bookmark (M-12). It’s not that I don’t have quiet
The Reason I Came to Al‑Anon
While I was having lunch with a new Al-Anon friend, she asked me, “Who brought you to Al‑Anon?” It took me just seconds to respond. I brought myself to this program. You see, I have learned that no