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Hey Bugs,
Hope you have enjoyed a good holiday season.
I do agree to a point about the venting. I also believe that are only two reasons to go to an AA meeting:
1. To seek help. Many times "venting" can be a way of saying "I need some help."
The problem arises here-In many so-called newcomer meetings, newcomers have been
led to believe that AA meetings are a form of free group therapy. Some one "vents"
and soon you have everyone else offering advice and opinions. It is the blind leading
the blind.
2. To find some one needing help: The reason old-timers and recovered alcoholics go to
meetings. Sadly, it seems that many of the newcomers do not seem to think that the
recovery process of the 12 Steps is what they need. The old-timers have no one to
help, because it is hard to help anyone who already knows everything. Consequently,
many old-timers have given up. They stop going to meetings. They become cynical
and hard, and slowly whither on the vine. I hear instances of people thirty, thirty-five
years sober blowing their heads off because they have no purpose in AA anymore.
I recently made the remark that it is hard to find desperate alcoholics in AA anymore. To be sure there are many who are hurting, but all they seek is the frothy emotional appeal type of answer-something that feels good and is quick, easy, and comfortable. A superficial answer at best that has no permanent effect.
As a result, some of us have withdrawn from mainstream AA and have taken to going to the jitter joints to find prospects. We meet in each other's homes and when we find a prospect, we make him a part of what we are doing.
I've always said there are two fellowships in AA. One is what everyone thinks of as the fellowship of AA-the meeting makers make it, don't drink no matter what, let's stay sick together meeting based fellowship. The other is the fellowship of the spirit that has nothing to do with rooms and chairs. It is rooted in a common problem and a common solution.
Jim
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