Wow ---- I find it rather interesting, and rather sad, that there are only 1500 meetings a week in NYC; there are over 2000 metings a day here in Houston.....hmmmmm
I don't know if the original poster will return, but in case they do, I just thought I'd put my 2-cents worth in....I'm one of those who, along with getting a busy life through sobriety, I slacked off with meetings (this after 4+ years with at least one, and often more, meetings per day)..... At first, my slacking off was because I had a life.....but after a while, I just couldn't get into it any more....I had a life; a good life; I was happy, joyous, and free; and content.....etc. Oh yes, I heard all the snickers behind my back.....she's a relapse waiting to happen; missing 7 days of meetings makes one weak; meeting makers make; everyone 'I' know who went back out had stopped going to meetings.....I'm a firm believer in self-fulfilling prophesies, and if I'd believed all that stuff, I probably would have relapsed, BUT I didn't..... (o:
Now, don't get me wrong, I got sober thru AA, and I'm a firm believer in meetings in early sobriety for balancing ones life, and getting a good/firm foundation for the rest of ones life. But I didn't get sober to spend the rest of my life within those four walls (although, according to some, I was supposed to keep going to meetings until I wanted to go to meetings, and then continue going....forever(?)........hah, I don't think so; I didn't want to,and didn't see myself changing my position, and going to those meetings was making my life miserable....and taking up four hours of my day, including the one hour for the meeting--I'm sorry, but that was truly a waste of time) .....and for those who believe one must be in meetings to perform the 12th step, well, phooey....I've found many opportunities to share my ES&H without sitting in those rooms waiting for someone to come in; I went 'out' and found folks.... (o:
I'm a firm believer in the saying, "It's NOT the meeting we make, BUT the steps we take."
In my time I've known many who have gone back out; some had stopped going to meetings, but many/most were still going to meetings right up to the time they left a meeting and went straight to the club.....One thing they did have in commion was that when asked what step they were working on at the time, none of them could say.....hmmmmm just a thought y'all
My sponsor was, and still is an atheist; in fact, most of my sober/clean friends are atheists......and most of them don't go to meetings....their service work is found elsewhere, as is mine.....I believe we all have our servicework to perform; it just may not be in the same way or the same place.....for some their servicework (their 'giving back') may be in meetings, but that's not for all.....
NoelleR
DOS: 6/23/86