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Old 05-18-2019, 12:13 PM
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Livingonwishes
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Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 60
1st time convention experience

Hi All,

I've just got home from the Cornwall (UK) AA Convention and I am blown away by the fellowship.

Next week I will reach 6 months sobriety and have been attending AA meetings since the day after my last drink. But it has only been in the last month that the pieces have been dropping into place.

In that time I have found a sponsor, started the steps, started doing service and got an inkling of what my higher power can do to guide me but today was my first experience of a Conference and I found the whole experience eye opening, emotional and so very motivational.

The Conference was shared with Al Anon and until today I had no idea there was a difference between Al Anon and AA and I certainly had no idea that the loved ones of Alcoholics like me had somewhere to go and share their experiences and gain the same serenity and support.

Like I said it was eye opening.

The shares from the Al Anon members really made me think about ALL my past relationships and my family and how my own selfish alcoholic mind never really considered the impact MY drinking was having on them.

I guess like many Alcoholics I blamed everyone else for my drinking, especially those closest to me. All my relationship breakdowns were their fault, every family argument was their fault, every time I stubbed my toe it was their fault.

Geez I was an ignorant arse.

When I first decided to attend todays Conference I saw it as a way of A) Having a day out and pretending I have a social life.
B) Being with like minded people
C) Spending some time with AA friends away from a normal meeting.
Oh and D) Lunch that didn't involve Spam or Noodles!

What I actually got was a display of how much of an arse I have been, how far I still have to go, how amazing the AA Fellowship AND the Al Anon Fellowship are and most importantly that people I don't know actually care about me, people who have their own problems, their own demons and their own sobriety to build. They are there with advice, a shoulder to cry on, words of wisdom born of experience or even just a smile.

If I could bottle what I saw, heard and felt today I would be rich but I am rich beyond imagining just by staying sober, attending meetings and listening to the experience and guidance of those who have trod and are treading the exact same path I have just started to follow.

I am so grateful to all those people who are willing to share their experiences and to selflessly help people like me attempt to reach those places that I/We never thought possible.

It may be One Day At A Time but today was a very, very good day!!

Thank you for listening :-)
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