Sometimes I have to wonder, when I raise my hand and voice in a meeting. Today was another one of those days. What I was wondering about is whether or not, after all these years in the program, if I have become a “bleeding deacon”.
Once again I felt that the group I attend was slipping away from its primary purpose. To carry the message of there is a solution to sick and suffering alcoholic. Instead they were ready to open a closed meeting to a man, who had declared that he was not an alcoholic, but was there for another addiction. They were prepared not only to open the meeting, but would keep it closed and willing to discuss his “problem”.
That’s when, once again I opened my mouth and drew the group’s attention back to the Traditions and our primary purpose of alcoholism. And that got the man to get up and declare that he was out of there, as did some of the other people attending that meeting.
I did call and write some long time friends of mine in the program about what I had done, as I did talking to a long time sober friend of mine. Sobriety is an important part of my life. As I know it is with so many I have lived with in this program. I was relieved, when they all said I wasn’t out of line in my comments.
In fact, once again, many in the group supported what I had talked about. It is about alcohol and the alcoholic and nothing else. It’s about the alcoholic getting sober and staying sober. The recognition that what we can’t do alone, we can do together. It’s not about any other problem. That, as the Fifth Tradition points out, is the other person’s problem. We don’t know how to solve any other problem. But there is a solution for the alcoholic, if he or she wants it.
This is not about emotions or opinions, but what our founders and the old timers gave to us. Guidelines to staying sober and maintaining the purpose of each AA group. I know that I’m not a spokesperson for AA. I’m just another drunk, trying to stay sober a day at a time. However, as each day and each meeting goes on, the more we dilute the message, which is the primary purpose of the group, the further we get from why we’re all there.
Anyway, I certainly spent about ten hours today with AA members and meetings. I’m reminded of how important this program is to me and to my life. I’m willing to go to any lengths to stay sober and help others to recover from alcoholism. That’s what I learned from my sponsor and all those old timers, who gave me so much help and saved my life.
Keep them in the right mode Ned! Our meeting is open to alcholics who have a desire to stop drinking. I feel bad for the guy that has the other substance problem but they have meetings and support for those unfortunate people that focus directly on their problems.
Tom