My answer is this: “Since I surrendered and started working the Steps, I go to the weekly Tuesday meeting at East One or St X Noon to recharge my batteries and where I made commitments years ago to the Program of Alcohol Anonymous.”
Daily AA gatherings take place, and you’ll be welcomed at any AA group. That’s for sure, and they’ll ask you to return. AA meetings are sorta social events, one of seeing and talking with old friends, meeting a new person you’ve been working with, maybe you were the “coffee maker” that month, or perhaps you wanted to hear your sponsor’s lead, especially the story of his days of rage.
AA meetings are all that and more. We also attend AA meetings to listen to something we probably need to hear but maybe we didn’t know we needed to hear it. On the positive side, maybe it’s something you wanted to pass along to the new person you are sponsoring.
We’re reminded of our conduct while intoxicated. Yes, as a drunk, our fine suit or dress didn’t hide our condition.
Frequently, and probably at every meeting, we are reminded of Step Three and its call for us to turn our “will and our life” over to God as we understand Him.
Maybe someone you were just in conversation with before the meetings asks you if you ever had to deal with Step 8, “How’d you handle it?”
Maybe we go to that Tuesday East One meeting, and honestly, you’re not sure about this “Higher Power stuff” and they probably will start talking about it. Your standard response may be that “This Power stuff is old info for I know about that from my paster Fr. Stanley’s sermons.” But, come on! I’ve learned a great deal in various leads at East One and have studied AA writings. And in time, I felt Christ at any AA meeting.
There’s a highly personal aspect of AA meetings because there we have the chance to bring our questions. As a result, with time, I learned and believe He’s there. He can work with us, to help, to reach out His hand of fellowship. We learn we’re not alone. The interesting thing is that He may work through someone else at your “home” AA meeting who brings a question or thought or problem.
Sure, our home group provides fine social support, but the meetings bring more. Ask yourself, “What can I learn? How do I assist my friend who’s new to the Program, or has gone out again into that alcoholic forest”
Your High Power is already at that East One meeting on Tuesday at 8:00 PM, in the bank’s basement. Laughter often prevails before the meeting starts; during the meeting it may make an appearance and likely it springs out through the guest speaker’s Lead.
We are there for these and more reasons to get to those meetings whether on a Tuesday night in the basement of that bank or at Noon at St X in its basement.
Jim A, of St X Noon and East One, Cincinnati
