The fellowship

I went to an AA meeting yesterday. I go to AA meetings less frequently than I used to, mainly because there are now four Al-Anon meetings that I try to make every week. But this particular AA meeting is one of the oldest in the city, is held in a "bad" part of town and is filled with real people who share. It's a raw type of meeting and one that I find inspirational in many ways.

Anyway, at this meeting a young woman who had a small baby with her got up to share. She said that she was newly sober and had the one year old child and a three year old. She shared that she was getting a divorce and was having a hard time right now. Part way through her sharing, she held up her son and told him that she had to stay sober because she wanted her children to grow up with love and not in a dysfunctional household. She was sobbing as she said that the people in the room were going to help her stay sober and that they were there to help her. I could feel her desperation in wanting sobriety and her hope that she will be a good mother to the children.

At the end of the meeting, the fellowship of AA surrounded this young woman and embraced her. It's another example of what the program is all about. And how alcoholics help each other. The wonder and love in the program is never more obvious when there is someone in need.