Attending An AA Meeting At A Local Church

I attended an AA meeting at a local church, located in the church basement. When I arrived, I noticed there were only 6 people in attendance. As I sat down, I looked around and could tell that the after affects of alcohol made some of the members look older and some looked tired. I observed the interaction between the members and I noticed that most of the members shook hands or even hugged when they greeted each other. They carried on conversations, mainly asking questions about how they were doing. I noticed that the seats were positioned in a circle with one seat in the middle. I learned that the person leading the group meeting was referred to as the meeting chairperson (Sherry) and her seat was located in the middle of the circle. The

Once the meeting was over, people hung around and talked and it seemed as if people looked happier after the meeting. As I was walking out of the meeting, I noticed that there was a box that displayed the words “Cash donations” so I reached into my purse and put $5.00 in the box. That made me feel good knowing that the donations are going directly to the groups needs. I also noticed that pamphlets were lying on a table, so I grabbed one called “This is A.A. An Introduction to the A.A. Recovery Program.” After I left the meeting, I realized that the road to sobriety is not easy and it takes a lot of hard work and honesty. When an alcoholic realizes and admits they have a problem, they will come to realize that their way of life will change. However, some may not realize how these impacts will affect them until they own up to their actions. In time, an individual will realize that their life of alcohol dependency has impacted his or her family too. Becoming sober can take a toll on a person physically and emotionally because the daily ritual of consuming alcohol is gone and an individual has to adjust to life without alcohol. It is important for an individual to acknowledge and rely on a spiritual connection. When an individual abides by the twelve-step program, it enables them to see how alcohol has impacted their life as well as taking responsibility for their negative behavior. When an individual wipes their slate clean and continues to remain sober through the support of AA and the twelve step program, their chances for a long term sobriety