CAPTAINZING2000

Going to a lot of meetings early in my recovery was building up my foundation in recovery.

I still like to attend 3 meetings a week after several 24 hours.

One meeting, I open up each week. Another meeting I try to attend is one at my sponsors rehab, to carry the message to the residents. The other meeting I try and attend is on A Sat. night as much for a social gathering after the meeting as well.

AA is a pay it forward program, we stay well by carrying the message to the suffering alcoholic

Texasblind

Yeah, I do my best to never miss home group. I also participate in the monthly business meetings. I like to know that my dollars are doing some good.

Emimily

i was asked by a man who had been flirting with joining the fellowship how many meetings had i been to... this was right after i picked up my two year chip. i looked at him, and said "well, at least 700." he really couldn't believe that. he asked why did i still have to go, after all this time. i explained that i had to go to meetings until i wanted to go to meetings, and these days i wanted to go. they balance me, bring me an hour of peace in the craziness of my day. i am heavily involved in my home group, rarely do i miss it. i do this because i love my life, and it's a part of my life. when dude (who's not around anymore, sadly enough) asked me why i went to so many meetings, i said "man... if you got to live the life i live, you'd go to meetings too."

still true. tack on another 300 or so to that first figure, cause year 3 is on may 20th, god willing.

i don't feel bad for that, or that i miss out on life, or anything like that. i don't criticize folks who don't go to as many meetings as i do, i ask them to get coffee with me when they have time because i miss seeing them (mostly, haha). and yeah. do what you do, just remember why you're here.

flip0812

20 years ago I started with 2 meetings a day (manditory from military condition to stay enlisted) after 90 days I had fulfilled my manditory 180 meetings. I went once a day for about 6 months then drifted out to 1x a week. Then stopped going. I then drifted back into drinking until my wife corrected me. Went back for a few meetings then was clean until 7 years ago I replaced my poison with Pills followed by drinking again.... Go often and keep it clean and never give up.

north

Thanks for all the input and helpful advice.

I guess the "attend meetings to the degree it feels right" is what I am going to go by ... however, after some thought, I think I will try and up my commitment to 2 to 3 times per week after all.

Why? Both TommyK and CaptainZing2000 managed to remind me of one of the major problems that affect many of us alcoholics -- the self-centeredness (for me anyways) . The people who reached out to me after a meeting to give me that extra bit of additional support when they knew I was new to AA ... really did make a difference. I think it's important to be there for the next guy (or gal) for whom my presence might make that same positive difference ... and make sure the negative experience that seahorse suffered don't become commonplace.

CarolD

flip0812.....
Welcome to SR

Glad to see you here with us...