Well that didn't work. Online and over the phone I was told the meeting started at 7pm. I got there at 7:01pm. I expected about 10 or 15 people, but found the parking lot jammed. Had to park across the street. Right next to the hall was a firehouse and across the street was a discount beverage store of all things.
I tried three doors before finding an open one. Inside the hall, about 3/4 the size of a basketball court, were around a hundred people. I sat in the only area left, next to the door and bathroom so I had to adjust my seat about 10 times. I couldn't hear the woman who was speaking and then the fire horn blasted for a minute, but the woman kept on talking. I don't know if the people in the front could've even heard her. She sat down around 7:10pm. Then the moderator got up and thanked her. A basket was passed around for donations, but I didn't bring a single penny with me.
The moderator intro'd the next speaker who had 18yrs sober. He talked about what brought him to AA and a little about his first few meetings. Then he said something I couldn't hear, everyone stood up, recited the Lord's prayer and it was over at 7:35.
I asked a woman if that was it, she said "yup, that's it." I said, "A half-hour, that's it?" Then I learned I was misinformed and the meeting actually started at 6:30pm. Ugh.
There are about 8 different chapters in my county, so I think I'm going to try a different one tomorrow. I'm glad you all are here 24/7.
Get there early. There's the meeting before the meeting and stick around after for the meeting after the meeting. People often go out for coffe and to eat and newcomers are always welcome. Bob.
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Work like you don't need the money
Love like you've never been hurt, and
dance like no one is watching.
At least you made it Toothpick. Tomorrow is another day. In you first 90 days get to as many meetings as you can. Every time it gets a little bit easier.
It sounds like there are a lot of alcoholics out your way. It won't be hard for you to fit in.
Good job makin it too a meeting- That first one is huge!
I try to check different ones out till I find a group I like- Where people are living right, moving in the right direction, and helping others- And focused on the solutions-
Just want to say good for you Toothpick, keep looking you will find a meeting that fits, you have to try afew meetings before it begins to feel right.Keep searchind and keep coming here, we need you.
Good Job! The effort you made was the only thing that mattered. Everyone that is here can recall their first meeting in Vivid detail.
My very first meeting was a mixed group of about 30 people. I got there early, and when I tried to go up to the group of women, that were gathered, there, they were all talking about their boyfriends, didn't say hello, etc.
Well that was a turn off to me, so I decided Every AA Meeting was like that and not for me, went right to drinking, didn't go again for about a year.
Then I did go back, and stayed awhile, but everytime I didn't like the meeting, is was my excuse to returning to drinking.
A sponsor, that was pretty fed up with my attitude, told me, It is real simple, if you want to stay sober, you are going to have to put your Sobrietyfirst, before EVERTHING ELSE, IF YOU KEEP IT IN FRONT OF EVERYTHING ELSE, you can keep it, put something before it and you will not be able to keep it.
I have a real hard head, but I started thinking about that, and I could visualize tangling it (Sobiety) in front of me, and not letting any person, place or thing get between me and what was dangling in front of me.
Then the meetings, got so much easier, I didn't care who was there, how they felt about, whether they were real kind, or whether they were not, and as I used my new visualization, I started ACTUALLY likeing the meetings, started feeling like the chair I sat in was Mine, whereever I sat.
Just wanted to tell you how it started for me.
Hoping you have a better experience in the morning.
It took me about a month of different meetings at different times and different places to figure out "who" goes to which ones and which ones I feel best at. So, keep on truckin' man! When I found the ones that worked for me, I found I couldn't / can't wait to get to them.........Hang in there, it does get better!
Doll
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* We eventually realize that just as the pains of alcoholism had to come before sobriety, emotional turmoil comes before serenity. *
wow... you might laugh about that later on,,, but not right now, eh? I'm glad you didn't give up and are going to try another one. You know what? At a meeting like that you might be able to find some literature. That would make it worth it. At your next one, you might see if they have copies of the Big Book,, the '12 Steps & 12 Traditions' book, "living sober",, "Came to Believe", a thought for the day book,, and stuff like that. Those will introduce you to the program as presented by the founders,, and then you can get started on that. Then, you'll be taking what you need, and leaving the rest at a meeting like that.
One of the groups I went to met at lunchtime in a church hall. We couldn't see the door, which was kept locked, and kept hearing a buzzer and someone had to get up and go let the person in, the acoustics were terrible and we had to shout to be heard, for people on an hour break for lunch we had to meet for less than an hour so they could get back. They did this for years, cuz that was what they could get in the beginning, and they got used to it. I'm glad to say that they had a reason to start some business meetings and group overhaul at a general group conscience series of meetings and included that and moved the meeting to a different location. Sometimes there are leadership problems and it is hard to address things like that in the vacuum. AA is not a perfect organization.
Well,,, I'll be waiting to hear how the next meeting goes in your adventures in finding a group that is good for you.
love in recovery,
amanda
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do your best and God does the rest, a step at a time
