Hi Jez,
I was at the meeting last night, with you, and i just wanted to say, that i felt a bit awkward about you being told to ask those questions after the meeting. A newcomer is the most important person at any meeting, and we all had theese types of questions. Those of us who have been coming around longer, keep coming back in order to carry the message of recovery to the newcomer who is seeking answers to their questions. And we only get one chance to make a first impression. Often a persons first impression's of their first meeting becomes an impression of aa/na as a whole... You need to consider this, that we are a loosely organized bunch of addicts and alcoholics - individuals all of us, at our own place in recovery, with our own issues, etc. Each one of us has different aptitude for sharing their recovery with others - Topic discussions help us keep on message, and share according to our individual experience, strangth, and hope. What we were like, what happened/changed, and what we are like now. Each meeting i go to exposes me to that many more viewpoints on recovery, and the topic - how to maintain sobriety, and live life on lifes terms... Experience gets passed along, through one addict/alcoholic sharing with another. Throughout the fellowship as a whole, there are many who share great success in the program - many years of combined experience living sober. There are literally hundreds of thousands of meetings world wide. If we are willing to work the steps, we do recover. I know members with 10, 20, 44, 67 years of sobriety... The 12 steps ARE helping people recover. We find meaning and purpose in our lives. We've found a new way to live. Do yourself a favor, pick up a copy of the big book of AA, and the NA basic text... Read them. Find someone who has worked the steps before you, who has something that you want - sobriety. Have them help you work the steps. This is sponsership. It works.
I have to go somewhere now, although i have much more to share - and some answers to your questions - I'll be back -
god keep you,
Aaron