Weekly AA Thread - Dec. 12 - Dec. 18

[retteacher]

Hi Everyone:

I hope all is well, & everyone is enjoying the season. This year, I've made a conscious effort to scale back as much as possible. I haven't had to brave the crowds & am trying not to pressure myself. We went to 2 parties this past weekend, but I squeezed in a meeting on Sat. That felt good.

The discussion centered around serenity. It brought to mind one of the promises: "We will understand the word serenity, & we will know peace." In my drinking life, everything had to be going along the lines of my expectations. People had to behave the way I wanted. Events had to coincide w/my wishes. If not, I then had an excuse to drink.

One of the biggest lessons I'm learning in AA is to take life on life's terms. We don't always get to choose what happens to us. Acceptance is a very big part of this program. That certainly doesn't mean I have to lie down & be a doormat. It just means that I do the footwork & leave the results up to HP.

Take care one & all. Feel free to share even if you don't go to meetings. Ask questions if you wish.

Mary

[cpn1004]

Weekly AA Thread - Dec. 12 - Dec. 18

Amen to acceptance.

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Dec. 12 - Dec. 18

I've volunteered to be the GSR (General Service Representative) for the Sun. group. It involves attending monthly district meetings & taking the info to the group. Last night's GSR meeting really gave me the feeling of service & how important that is. AA runs on service, & I feel I have to do some small part in that. The most gratifying part of last night's meeting?: the young people who have gotten involved. Heart-warming.

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Dec. 12 - Dec. 18

Last night's speaker was a young person. He got into tons of trouble w/drinking but still didn't see it as the culprit...denial is such a strong force. He had us laughing a lot.

Mary

[AMELIA]

Weekly AA Thread - Dec. 12 - Dec. 18

Mary, thanks again for your posts (and Cpn1004), I agree acceptance is key - life on life's terms as you say. Good on you for taking the GSR post. AA does run on the service that fellowship members are willing to do. I have just finished in a post that I had for a year (there was a newcomer who needed it more than me), and I am secretary at another meeting. I am grateful for the posts as they really do root me into those specific meetings each week.
I may look for a new post at a different meeting to get me anchored into at least two meetings a week again.
Haven't seen DG here for a while - hope all is good Doggygirl!
Hope the rest of the week goes smoothly for everyone.

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Dec. 12 - Dec. 18

DG is in the midst of exams & papers for her courses.

[AMELIA]

Weekly AA Thread - Dec. 12 - Dec. 18

Thanks Mary!
Hope all is going well DG x

[Doggygirl]

Weekly AA Thread - Dec. 12 - Dec. 18

Hello fellow travelers! Mary and Amelia, thanks so much for asking after me!! My last final was yesterday. I did well in my classes - all A's. Things have sure changed a lot over the last 30 years with computers! I can't believe how fast grades are posted. I worked really hard - more honest school work than I have ever done. Really wanting to learn the material - not just do whatever was necessary to pass. I'm excited about next semester, but also looking forward to a month long break!

Acceptance truly is key. When my serenity goes, it is usually because I am refusing to accept something that is out of my control. Although it's funny - I usually have plenty of courage for the impossible task of changing other people. But sometimes not so much courage about what needs to be changed in me. That simple prayer is such a fabulous guide for life.

I too love how service work anchors us into meetings. That's a great way to put it. My meeting attendance went way down with school this last semester. But I am chairing one meeting a week through the end of December - that sure keeps me going! I am also grateful for an active sponsee. That too keeps me anchored in the program.

Great to *see* everyone and I'm looking forward to catching up! Also wishing everyone a very happy holiday season.

DG

[catch22]

Weekly AA Thread - Dec. 12 - Dec. 18

Hi everyone, my name is ..... and i am a grateful recovering Alcoholic, got sometime on my hands today thought i pop in and see how you all doing!

Acceptance... for me i had to learn to accept me for who i am and accept things that i did not like about myself,and also things i did that was not very nice to others. It took me a long time2 accept, but working the program has help me so much in Aceeptance !

Doing secretary has been a BIG learning curve for me. The one big thing for me is when people let me down on the night.... i had a few people in one month i was at the stage saying to myself fu%k everyone in AA, Why am i doing this anyway, whats the point, i had big resentment against AA. I final rang my sponsor who put me on the straight path. What happen was the last person that let me down, i wanted to get my own back so what i did was rang and txt the people that let me down at the last minute knowning full well that they were going to let me down again, hoping that they would feel really bad about letting me down the second time round, but it did back fire on to me because i was the one that was hurting inside in the end. Someone help me out that night really thought i was going to break down. Am always learnng about myself i still feel like a little kid growing up! I did my step10 on the ones i rang up and txt, i also had to share this stuff at meetings to make me feel better and also hope it may help someone else who could be going through the samething.
I notice my HP speaks through ppl in the rooms, someone shared something the other day and it made my stomach feel sick and i could not move i wanted to cry, am not gonna go into details but it was like my HP was trying to tell me something. This person that shared he knew where to draw the line he was aware of his feelings. Now this was Food for Thought for me, but weather i will digest this food or do i let it stay on the surface and still let the thought live in my head.. or do i cross the line? All i know is that i am human and will need to talk to my sponsor about this.

Thank you for reading my post And you know that i L:hve you all xXx
Will try and get on here b4 xmas if i cant, wishing you all a merry christmas and keep safe and enjoy :l

Catch22 x

[Doggygirl]

Weekly AA Thread - Dec. 12 - Dec. 18

Catch - life truly is a journey. We can either numb our way through it like we used to - and feel horrible inside, or we can LIVE the journey and LEARN the journey and have both pain AND JOY in the process. It sounds like that is what you are doing. I know it's what I'm trying to do!

:l

DG

[retteacher]

Weekly AA Thread - Dec. 12 - Dec. 18

We really do have to go through painful experiences in order to come out the other side w/some kind of wisdom & learning. The alternative (which I spent many years doing) is to avoid it all through drinking.

I'm so grateful for AA as a way to find constructive ways of getting through difficult circumstances. Sometimes that just means we have to tough it out.

I'm doing OK but really looking forward to going to a meeting tonight. I need one.

Take care one & all.

Mary

PS: DG, it's good to see you back.