FELLOW TRAVELER

WHAT IS GOING ON?

I am hurt, disappointed, & angry, at people in the program. They've attacked me for bringing up the Singleness of Purpose in meetings. Some even lied about the traditions, tried to make AA their way. Some of these have 14 yrs. & more of sobriety. Can you believe it? For one, it astounds me that someone with that much time doesn't know anything about the traditions, or AA history. I don't understand why they are so against the Singleness of Purpose, or the traditions, the traditions are why AA works, they hold AA together. And yet I've heard one of these people talk about how they love AA, that it saved their life, yet attack me for bringing up the Singleness of Purpose up, & they lie, & even say AA needs to change to include the addict. I don't understand. To them, it's personalities over principles. They forget, I guess, that the principles, the program is our anchor. Yes, the fellowship is part of it, but it's all of us working a program that put us on the same path, the similarities. Where we are at. It is in sharing our experience, strength, & hope. I'm just surprised, & disappointed they are not more grateful to AA. It's the same as turning their backs on AA. So, for me, it's principles before personalities. It's been hard getting to that place, being the people pleaser I was, & besides, I like people, I need people, but I'm not dependant on them liking me anymore. I am dependant on the steps, AA is dependant on the traditions to hold together, & be here for the future. We must protect that, & stand up for them.

What's happening is alot of newcomers come to AA from treatment centers who teach a drug is a drug is a drug, & they don't allow you to say you're an alcoholic, or teach about alcoholism, they teach drug addiction. Maybe not all of them, but enough do. AA was around way before treatment centers. AA is spiritually inspired, treatment centers are money inspired. We get alot of newcomers in AA who are talking about their addictions, most of them are addicts. AA can't help the addict. They are addicts in an alcoholics anonymous meeting, they are still different, & that's one of the things we as alcoholics, & addicts that we have to get over, the feeling that we are different. They are our cousins, who are dear to our hearts. That's what AA says.

posted by sharonsjourney @ 10:41 PM