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.
As everyone will say to you tomorrow when you attend...Welcome...
Congratulations on attending your first face to face alanon meeting. Go to other meetings as well, go to as many as you can, as often as you can. Different meetings, even the same meeting, week in and week out can ebb and flow as far as the dynamic. Unlike here/this forum, an alanon meeting should be "conference approved" and have structure, format, follow a guideline for the meeting, etc. In alanon you will learn about some of the tools, the 12 steps, and how we can get better and get healthy, from the impact the disease of alcoholism has on us. Give yourself a chance, attend 6 meetings or so and then perhaps you can decide whether or not alanon is for you. It's not like a restaurant, LOL. Go, listen, share, be open-minded, get a beginners' package, buy "One Day At A Time" and "Courage To Change". Get the pamphlet titled "A Merry-Go-Round Named Denial". There are others as well.
All the best.
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Bo
Keep coming back...
God, grant me the serenity...to accept the PEOPLE I cannot change...the courage to change the ONE I can...and the wisdom to know it's ME...
"The wolf that thrives, is the one you feed." - Cherokee legend
"Hello, sun in my face. Hello you who made the morning and spread it over the fields... Watch, now, how I start the day in happiness, in kindness." Mary Oliver
Welcome Molly-I think it takes guts to go to a F2F meeting, brand new, with a room full of strangers, and not any idea what will happen. I can still recall my first F2F meeting 6 years ago. I called my son about 10 min before and said how scared I was, but I was going. I couldnt take my life with my A as things were. I was going downhill fast and couldnt stop it. I truly couldnt see how I lost myself and how messed up I was. I still attend that same meeting! I do love the people and feel the love back. Im still changing all for the better and I have a new and improved life due to program. Keep coming back, Lyne
Welcome Molly! Alanon can make a huge difference in your life. What a great decision you made for yourself to attend a meeting. Keep coming back here as well.....as a supplement the program.
Remember Molly...when you walk inside the rooms of an alanon meeting (an official, conference approved meeting)...you are walking into a safe place. The people in those rooms have seen what you are seeing, have heard what you are hearing, have felt what you are feeling, and have gone through what you are going through! That's important. What's more important is that they have gotten through it...and so can YOU! You can do so, just like they have, with the help, support, and guidance of the alanon program and the people in those rooms!!!
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Bo
Keep coming back...
God, grant me the serenity...to accept the PEOPLE I cannot change...the courage to change the ONE I can...and the wisdom to know it's ME...
You'll hopefully find that we can be a great supplement to your program of recovery, so feel free to post your story, and/or ask questions or voice concerns here... this is a good group, with a wide variety of experience and understanding...
Tom
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"He is either gonna drink, or he won't.... what are YOU gonna do?"
"What you think of me is none of my business"
"If you knew the answer to what you are worrying about, would it REALLY change anything?"
I too send a warm welcome to you Molly - so glad you found us and so glad that you jumped right in and shared. Great job finding your courage to attend and I have no doubt you will find acceptance, safety and others who understand your 'life' way better than friends or family.
Please keep an open mind and try other meetings if you want to. There are no hard/fast rules in recovery; we each get to recover at our pace when we are ready. There is no deadline, no instructions and no graduation - we just all come together to work on better skills for living after being affected by the drinking in a family member of friend.
I agree with Tom - MIP has been a great supplement to my program. I am fortunate to live in a metro area with tons of meetings yet the many meetings don't always align with crisis/insanity in my life. It's been very helpful to be able to stop here, post a share and get feedback. Healthy Al-Anon members will refrain from giving advice or barking orders; instead they will offer their ESH (Experience, Strength & Hope) allowing you to find your way based on your situation.
Please keep coming back - there is always hope/help in recovery! There are online meetings here also if you have a need or a want - see the top left area for the schedule and the link to the meeting room. (((Hugs))) - you are not alone!
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Practice the PAUSE...Pause before judging. Pause before assuming. Pause before accusing. Pause whenever you are about to react harshly and you will avoid doing and saying things you will later regret. ~~~~ Lori Deschene
Welcome!
This was such a good decision for me to go to meetings. It has made all the difference between my previous entrenched misery and my present situation (which is good).
Keep coming back.
Every little idea, story of how someone else handled a similar event, slogan, and friendship can help us in difficult circumstances.
