tkdan

I've been to three different meetings. They all began with the serenity prayer and ended with the Lords prayer and that's where the similarities end. I went to a meeting last night that I really liked. It was the largest one I've been to. There was a lot of laughter which was strange considering the chairpersons disposition. He was very serious did not laugh or cut up, very business oriented, and that's how he ran the meeting. I talked to him after the meeting and he was a super nice guy. I talked to some of the others and they told me he is always serious like that it is just his nature. It was a Step Study and I enjoyed it. I can see now what people mean when they say every meeting has its own personality.

Zoobear

Glad to see you are hitting a few meetings. I am glad you are doing so well.

mike_mass

They do. And like people, they have high points and low points, sickness and health.

best

and every meeting can seem to give you just what you are looking for that day.

Signal30

Tradition Four

"Each group should be autonomous except in the matters affecting other groups or AA as a whole."

An important tradition.

Tom

Tazman53

Dan reading the beginning of your journey takes me back, it does my heart good to hear how having an open mind leads to happiness, I like and relate to how you compare sobriety to martial arts, I relate to that so well.

In order to move up through the belts and to get to places you wanted to go in skills and knowledge, you had to step outside of your comfort zone and do things that were not always what you wanted to do, so you have found it with sobriety, in order to get what we want we have to be willing to go places & do things we may not like, but the end result is what we seek and the journey is well worth it.

chip

Dan,
I'm glad you found a meeting that you really liked. It's neat how different meetings have different "flavours". I joined my group because I liked it the most. Getting involved really helps me in my sobriety, and I became one of the "characters" that add to the group dynamic! AA is the first place where I've really felt like I fit in.
chip

Astro

I love trying different meetings, and find that I walk away from each one with something different. I'm glad to hear you're journeying out in your recovery!

Tazman53

Dan one thing I would also like to point out is you will see people at some meetings that are a little "Out There", they may just be odd or say stuff that is hurtful or really off the wall, just keep in mind that we take what we want and leave the rest.

A meeting or individaul one may find not to their liking in early sobriety may be just the ticket later in sobriety. There was this one guy early on I thought was a big know it all jerk, well as I matured in my sobriety I suddenly saw that in reality he really had his act together, but because I was still whacked in the head he came across as a jerk! He was telling me what I needed to hear at the time but did not want to hear. The reason he told me this was he saw himself in me and was trying to help me, which he actually did and I let him know later on.

CarolD

When I chair ...
I too am very efficient.

That keeps the meeting on track and
thats what a chairperson does

Dan...I'm really tickled you are doing so well

Jfanagle

I have found that after a few years I stand to get much more from AA by picking a meeting where I have good "odds" that I will not know anyone. This serves to make me "uncomfortable" just like the first time and I am reminded that this is a continual journey.

Sober can be a lot of fun if we allow it to be. Keep up the good work and don't hesitate to "share your sobriety" with someone who is "newer(is that a word?)" than you are. If you have three days you have three times as much sobriety as the fellow with one day!

Jon

tkdan

Hey everyone thanks for the replies. I was not ignoring my thread, the job has been busy and it's like they're expecting me to work or something (how dare them). It is a nice change of pace it was quite slow and you know idle hands and all.
Taz this is something that really helped me make the step. Although this was not the roll I though the martial arts woud play in my sobriety it has turned out that way.
I have to admit the meeting was very organized and I like that. I try to be organized in my everyday life or as my wife calls it being anal.
I'm glad you are tickled because I'm thrilled at the direction I'm going. It is a new freedom to be able to say I need help, I can not do this on my own, and to reach out for that help. Ironically I feel more independent through this. Maybe that's because I'm doing this for me, and I'm not depending on alcohol to get me through the rough spots. Gotta go to work now, have a blessed day folks.

Tazman53

The whole deal is ironic, counter-intuitive, there are other things that are crazy but true, I have found that in order to keep what I have, I have to give it away as freely as it was given to me. In order to achieve victory I have to surrender.