Al-Anon Family Group

The Forum magazine articles - January 2002

The following articles from the January 2002 issue are reprinted with permission of The Forum, Al-Anon Family Group Hdqs., Inc., Virginia Beach, VA.  For more articles, check The Forum archive.

 

When I went back to bed at four o'clock in the morning, I couldn't go to sleep because I remembered, "It's Tuesday already and I have to chair the meeting!"  I kept thinking about how I was going to present the topic.  It occurred to me to get up and start writing down my thoughts, so I did.      I wrote that I'm probably older than anyone in this room, but that doesn't make much difference.  When I came into Al-Anon, I was about the same age as everyone else.  At first I was so full of hate and mistrust that I never thought of taking time out of my busy day to ask God for help.  Oh, I knew all about asking God for help, because my mom practiced it for years.  I could always see how peaceful her life was, even with all the confusion that went on around her.  But I had to fall on my face and get in this program before I actually applied the practice to my life.      Since coming into the Al-Anon program, I've been asking God to help me.  I get down on my knees, morning and night.  When I worked, I prayed in my car on the way to work. I've been in Al-Anon more than 30 years, and every day I ask God to help me handle what I need to do and to forgive me for the wrongs that I have done.  I thank Him for one more day of life with my husband, and for all the people I have learned to love in this program.      I used to think when I first came to Al-Anon that I was an old lady.  By coming to this program, I've gotten so much younger!  It's all because I've let God into my life.  I used to practice my will so much that it almost destroyed me.  I'm so happy to be willing and able to come to Al-Anon.  I pray that no one lets life pass them by, the way I almost did.      Life is so much better these days.  Our youngest daughter was at our house for two and a half days.  It used to be that I didn't get along with her all that well, but this time the visit was just great!  My daughter and I sat and talked, whereas every other time we just said what we had to say.      All of this is because I keep coming back and asking God to help me.  I'm still learning even though I've been coming to Al-Anon for all these years.  God helps me when I don't try to take His work away from Him.

 

I'm at the fall assembly, miles away from my home.  I wasn't sure I wanted to come today.  You know, business--yuk!  Who wants to travel an hour for Al-Anon business?  Well, I do!  I just attended my first meeting here.  It was on sponsorship.  I changed my attitude after that meeting.      I had been angry about the recent change in our area Alateen sponsorship guidelines and said, "I'm just not going to sponsor anymore if I have to follow more rules."  However, after hearing a member share on sponsorship today, I've learned several things.  I can have a negative attitude.  If I think only of the impact of my actions on my life, it's not healthy.  I have gratitude because once again I can change my attitude.      My 14-year-old daughter has attended Alateen for almost four years.  I heard her share at an anniversary meeting last week.  She touched my heart with sadness, pain, and tremendous joy.  As she struggles with difficult adolescent issues, she now has tools and a loving fellowship to help her feel hope and enthusiasm for life.  I am tremendously grateful for this.      Today I choose to continue sponsoring Alateen.  I want to make that commitment.  I want to give back.  I also want to continue growing myself.  After all, I get more out of sponsoring Alateens than I could ever have imagined.  Thank you, Al-Anon.  Thank you, Alateen.  You're helping to raise my family.