We all know the AA preamble, which states clearly the purpose of AA:

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for A.A. membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions. A.A. is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.

For me, though, AA is much more.

AA is a way of life that I have chosen to accept.  It is a gift that presents itself each new day, should I choose to open it.  I can only keep this wondrous gift by sharing it with others, in thought and deed.  Sometimes, the best way I can share this gift is by saying nothing and simply doing the next right thing.

AA has taught me more than physical sobriety.  As a spiritual program, it has helped me to grow in that regard, but it has also taught me emotional sobriety. It has given me some of the wisdom I need to determine what I can change and what I can’t.  While not perfect, I have matured emotionally so that I no longer feel the need to react to everything – I can choose how I act or react.

AA made me feel welcome, loved, and accepted.  No longer was I the different, unique one with problems only I could resolve.  I learned through AA’s program of spirituality that deep down, each of us is the same – people are people, in or out of AA, with similar fundamental needs and desires. We all just kind of stumble along the same human path, hoping to find the peace we seek.

AA taught me responsibility and accountability.  I learned that I am responsible for my thoughts, my emotions, and my actions; that no person, place or thing can make me do anything unless I let them. 

AA gave me hope and a sense of purpose when I was desperate and lost. 

AA taught me to always remain teachable – that no matter the circumstances, or the person involved, there is always something to be learned. When I make mistakes, as I often do, I know that there is a lesson to be learned – I no longer have to keep repeating my mistakes.

Today, I am proud to be an alcoholic and a member of AA.  My only hope is that I can pass on to others what has been so freely given to me.

All I can add to this is my thanks for a great post and a message that went right to my heart.

Thanks Carol

hobie

A friend told me this morning that her therapist feels that AA should be a transitional tool, not a lifelong endeavor.  It saddens me that people, including professionals, have limiting views of AA.   My potential for growth in and through AA is limitless; it is only limited by my narrow views.

People both in and out of AA dislike the concept of "AA for life", thinking that AA is trying to 'keep them down' and 'keep them needing AA' like some sort of cult, and that the 'powerless' piece is a way to control people and to keep them there.  I guess it's a case of, for those who understand the true meaning and worth of AA, no explanation is necessary and for those who don't, no explanation will suffice.  It just has to be experienced, by way of an open mind.

AA, for me, is far more than a way to stay sober.  It is my community and my spiritual center.  I am not affiliated with a religion, so I don't attend worship services, where others may find their community and spirituality.  AA serves that purpose for me.  It's also where I do my "volunteer work", so to speak.  Through the years, the fellowship has also become my social circle, so it's a gathering of friends that I might not otherwise get to see regularly, what with our busy lives and all.   

I have a life outside of AA, yet AA permeates my entire life.  I carry the principles of AA everywhere I go.  It's my touchstone to sanity, serenity, and spirituality.

Amen, Annie!!!

I don't know about that "transitional" thing -- I've always been an all or nothing type of person.  I either accept something completely in my life or not.  By embracing the AA program, fellowship and philosophies, I have managed to incorporate them into my life in a way that I couldn't have if I just saw it as transitional.

From the very beginning, AA spoke to me in a way that no religion ever has.  I felt as though I had "come home" to all the things I believed when I was young, and I feel now that I am becoming the person I always wanted to be.

There's an old saying that my sponsor used to repeat all the time -- life is a journey, not a destination.  If it were a destination, perhaps I could buy the "transitional" theory.  Perhaps there are those who can use it to ease the transition from drunk to sober, but they are not in the rooms, and they didn't get me sober.  The folks who got me sober are people like you, who make AA an integral part of their lives.

Well said!

Thanks, Carol.  Another thing against the "transitional" theory ~ if we all got sober and left, who would be there to help the newcomer?