I felt very fortunate last night to sit in on a mates alcoholics anonymous meeting. Now I won't say where the meeting was or anything that could identify the attendees, I am not breaching that trust, but what I will say is that it was a very humbling experience and I learnt a lot.
See I am fortunate in that I am not an alcoholic. When I was in hospital I told myself that I would never drink again and that is a promise that, again fortunately for me has been an easy one to upkeep.
Listening to the attendees sharing, I sat there in awe. The courage to get up in front of others and talk about their inner demons and how they are very grateful to be sober that day gave me some real perspective on just how hard it is to remain sober.
The genuine acknowledgement from the other attendees once they completed their share, was exactly that, genuine. The support for one another was clearly evident.
Some spoke easier than others, people from all walks of like attended and everyone spoke with brutal and open honesty. It was clear that this approach is what keeps them sober. To be honest with themselves and not 99% honest, 100% honest.
The overall feeling I got from listening to the shares, was just how much power they drew from each others successes. So many shining lights and positive points to draw from when others are really battling to remain sober.
The amount of respect I have for the attendees could not be higher. It was a very humbling experience and my the amount of education I got by having a small glimpse into the world of an alcoholic was invaluable. I have so much more to learn about alcohol addiction but I am way better off than what I was this time yesterday.
No doubt it takes a heap of courage to go to a meeting and to open up, but if you are struggling with alcohol, get along to an AA meeting. You do not have to share your story, you can sit and listen and gain some very powerful support and power from others.
Much respect.
No comments:
Post a Comment