SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information - View Single Post - Traditions question

Krissy2007 · 05-11-2009, 05:01 PM

I go to an early morning meeting regularly (I try to get there a couple times a week). The meeting meets every weekday. It is a pretty regular group - you know who you will see by going there as there are several group members who go every day, several who go three times a week, etc. It is not my home group, but I feel very close to a lot of the people there.

It is a little more laid back than other meetings. They sometimes crosstalk, there is often a lot of laughing, and people share more than once usually (it is a small meeting). They also read from the 24 hours a day book (non conference approved). Some members of my home group have been turned off by this meeting because it isn't as traditional. The people in my home group are a bit more rigid - have a very "this is life and death" view and are VERY by the book (so much so that when we were discussing buying a rack for literature, I was told we were only allowed to buy it from the AA World Service place - no other would be allowed in the room.)

Personally, I understand the need for traditions. Having said that, I am very middle of the road. I attend these two very different meetings and get useful things from both of them. I am still very new (1 1/2 years sober and attending AA faithfully the whole time), and I know there is a lot I don't know or understand. So, I am trying it all.

Today, at the laid back meeting, a man was reading the preamble. He is a bit mentally unstable (dual diagnosed). He started inserting words into it (like, "AA is a socialist fellowship of....". It really took me by surprise. A woman who I really respect who has been sober like 42 years interrupted him and told him not to do that. She was really upset.

He finished reading and left (he muttered something about the first tradition on his way out).

The meeting ended up being people sharing about their feelings. A few men thought we should treat him with love and acceptance and try and guide him more softly than the woman did. I felt like the woman was right - he was bastardizing the words of the program - that have been useful for so many years for so many people.

I guess to me, it was TOO far. We ended up having a really good meeting discussing the traditions and will have a group conscious soon.

I am interested how other meetings would have handled something like that.

05-11-2009, 05:01 PM	#1 (permalink)
Krissy2007 Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 35	Traditions question - Uncomfortable Meeting today I go to an early morning meeting regularly (I try to get there a couple times a week). The meeting meets every weekday. It is a pretty regular group - you know who you will see by going there as there are several group members who go every day, several who go three times a week, etc. It is not my home group, but I feel very close to a lot of the people there. It is a little more laid back than other meetings. They sometimes crosstalk, there is often a lot of laughing, and people share more than once usually (it is a small meeting). They also read from the 24 hours a day book (non conference approved). Some members of my home group have been turned off by this meeting because it isn't as traditional. The people in my home group are a bit more rigid - have a very "this is life and death" view and are VERY by the book (so much so that when we were discussing buying a rack for literature, I was told we were only allowed to buy it from the AA World Service place - no other would be allowed in the room.) Personally, I understand the need for traditions. Having said that, I am very middle of the road. I attend these two very different meetings and get useful things from both of them. I am still very new (1 1/2 years sober and attending AA faithfully the whole time), and I know there is a lot I don't know or understand. So, I am trying it all. Today, at the laid back meeting, a man was reading the preamble. He is a bit mentally unstable (dual diagnosed). He started inserting words into it (like, "AA is a socialist fellowship of....". It really took me by surprise. A woman who I really respect who has been sober like 42 years interrupted him and told him not to do that. She was really upset. He finished reading and left (he muttered something about the first tradition on his way out). The meeting ended up being people sharing about their feelings. A few men thought we should treat him with love and acceptance and try and guide him more softly than the woman did. I felt like the woman was right - he was bastardizing the words of the program - that have been useful for so many years for so many people. I guess to me, it was TOO far. We ended up having a really good meeting discussing the traditions and will have a group conscious soon. I am interested how other meetings would have handled something like that.