Today, I saw my best friend leave for a few months. We've shared a lot of great experiences, ideas, and general good times for a while. He's been in AA recovery for many years and works his program diligently. He was really the one responsible for my finding Al-Anon since he knew that I had a lot of craziness going on at home. He finally said that I needed to go to an Al-Anon meeting and that my SO needed to go to AA. It's made a big difference in my life. None of the therapists ever suggested Al-Anon to me, even though they knew that my home life was a mess and that my SO's drinking was causing me a lot of anxiety.
It took a member of AA to make the suggestion that has really changed my life for the better. He's got a good sense of humor and has shared a lot of funny stories from the Grapevine, the AA publication. He's also shared some good lines from some of the old timers in AA. We generally find a lot to laugh about. One of the things we recently shared in conversation was that in Al-Anon we're trying to focus on ourselves while in AA, alcoholics are trying to get the focus off themselves. He also said that in Al-Anon we want to get in touch with our inner child while in AA, alcoholics are trying to not be childish and grow up. He also told me about an irrasible old timer who was accused of chasing some newcomers away with his brusqueness. When confronted about driving the newcomers away, the old timer said, "Well if I drove them away, liquor will drive them back".
Anyway, I'm wishing calm seas and a true course for my friend D. He carries his BB with him and his 16 year chip. I know that wherever he is, he'll be okay.
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