Today was a VERY GOOD open meeting. The speaker had the usual issues, but he circumnavigated them, in order to just get to the heart of his speech.
Yet again, part of the speech was taking it one day at a time... which I am doing, so that's good.
I commented afterwards during the "comments" portion of the meeting. I thoroughly related to the bit about where he said it wasn't "just about quitting drinking"... it was working the Steps in conjunction with the not drinking. (Hey! That's what I've been doing! Pat on the mental back of me to appease my counselor who said I need to do more things for myself. Yes, yes, some ego still there, but I apparently have to take small victories where I can find them.)
My favorite part of his speech was the portion about just being useful to other people and to NO LONGER CARRY THE WEIGHT of what bothers those around me... Holy Pepperoni! That's what I think I'm doing right now! I will discuss this with Janice tomorrow afternoon.
My one complaint about today's meeting involved a very bitter member of Al-Anon that came into the meeting. As it was an open meeting, there were about four new people that were there for their first time... I don't think they needed to hear how utterly horrible she thought we all were for being what we are. She went out of her way to take up about 15 minutes of commentary time to tick off the litany of complaints she had against her husband. Fine, but I found it a little self-centered to go out of her way to chastise the rest of the group for something they had no direct interaction.
I could tell by the look on some of the first-timer's faces that they probably wouldn't be coming back... at least not to that meeting.
I just found it very strange that in AA we're told to let go of our self-centered, selfish, ego-inflating ideals and help other people... yet all this woman spoke about was what she was taught in Al-Anon... and that was to think only of themselves...
Isn't that a contradiction in terms for both groups? How are we NOT going to lock horns? I'm being told to let go of my previous regeneration... and they're being told to hold onto to their current ones with everything they have.
Maybe I'm missing something... maybe I'll address that one with Janice. We will see tomorrow.
SIDE NOTE:
Grumblor is having a banner day. He's become Shrieklore about "Handball" as he calls tonight's sporting event. All Americans are morons, etc. etc. etc. He's in a particularly fine mood... it's going to be a LOOOONNNG EVENING!
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