"He is either gonna drink, or he won't.... what are YOU gonna do?"

Green Eyes · ~*Service Worker*~

Thinking of Visiting an Open AA Meeting for the First Time

GailMichelle · ~*Service Worker*~

I've attended several meeting groups in our immediate area and found them to somewhat similar to my Al-Anon meetings. They read the Twelve Step, Traditions, etc. They all seem to be a little less informal than the meetings I attend.

I've never been asked to speak at any AA meeting. The chairperson asks if someone is "visiting." At first, I thought I should speak up; however, some member said that it didn't mean someone like me. Whatever that meant.

Every time I went to an AA meeting, I've gotten something valuable out of it. I encourage Al-anon members to attend AA meetings.

I hope you find it beneficial too!

Pushka · ~*Service Worker*~

Our open AA is a speaker meeting so it's all about AA, as a visiting person no one from alanon or just dropping by is ever required to speak. I love the speaker meetings. Have a good time and enjoy :)

canadianguy · ~*Service Worker*~

Typically no different than you would introduce yourself at Al-Anon - Hello, my name is ____, and I am a grateful member of Al-Anon.

You will be well received at any open AA meeting...

Tom

Green Eyes · ~*Service Worker*~

So I'm glad I went tonight. It was a very enlightening meeting- it was a meeting for newcomers and it was held at a beautiful location that looked out over the ocean. Very serene and peaceful place. The speakers were interesting and many things they shared about their drinking histories sounded so much like what I am seeing with my AH. One of the speakers shared that he never drank at home- only at bars or at drinking buddies' homes. This is very similar to my AH's pattern. He says one of the reasons that he knows he is "not an alcoholic" is because he doesn't drink when he's at home. Of course, he doesn't mention that when he drinks away from home, he drinks himself into oblivion!

Anyways, I would highly recommend attending an AA meeting as a visitor. I felt welcomed and learned a lot about how AA meetings are run.

By the way, my new avatar was taken from the window of the meeting tonight. Nice view, huh?

-- Edited by Green Eyes on Wednesday 7th of September 2011 12:38:24 AM

-- Edited by Green Eyes on Wednesday 7th of September 2011 01:26:21 AM

Debilyn · ~*Service Worker*~

Oh I am so glad you went! Look at that progress! Ya just walked yoursel in there. That is so cool. Sounds like a lovely place too.

I used to go with my A when he was in recovery. It made me tingle when he would share. It was so attractive to hear and see him so strong and commited. I had such respect for him, happy for him.

It was a side I had not ever seen in all our lives together.

hugs, thanks for sharing and thank you for reminding me of how that felt, made me miss him.

hugs,debilyn

abbyal · ~*Service Worker*~

Just looking at your new pic gives you serenity wether you want it or not

tommyecat · ~*Service Worker*~

I am so glad you went tonight. Open AA meetings, particularly the speaker ones really helped me tremendously in my first year of recovery. I really wanted to know what it was like for them because I could not nor did not understand the desire or compulsion to drink. I thought geez, couldnt you just put the drink down and walk away? I had no idea.

For the past year now I attend one open AA meeting per week which is a step study meeting on Sunday mornings where alanon and AA members share on steps 10,11 and 12. It is such a powerful meeting where both sides participate sharing their ES&H.

Your new avatar is so beautiful. I really could get used to going to that group for meetings overlooking the ocean.

White Rabbit · ~*Service Worker*~

Yay!! I gotta say, open AA meetings are my favorite meetings. In those meetings, I learned compassion for alcoholics. My whole life I saw alcoholism as just a lack of willpower. I can put the drink down...why can't everyone else? I thought I had all the answers about it. In the open AA meetings, I discovered that I was just simply wrong.

My favorite open AA meetings are speaker meetings. We have a step-speaker meeting on Wednesday nights where the same speaker speaks for a month about their progression through the steps. We also have an open AA/Alanon meeting on Fridays where the first half, an Alanon speaker tells their story and the second half, an AA speaker tells theirs. Sometimes the Friday meetings have husband and wife speakers who tell their stories, which overlap some and is really pretty cool.

youfoundme · ~*Service Worker*~

I love open AA, and though you went last night and already posted about it, I just wanted to say, thanks for that ;) And GREAT photo too :) How awesome ;) Keep coming ;)

Pushka · ~*Service Worker*~

Sooo glad you went and it was a great experience for you!!! I def like to go when there is a meeting available.

Hugs P :)

The material presented here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method to exchange information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal level.

"He is either gonna drink, or he won't.... what are YOU gonna do?"