Reflection Paper On 12 Step Meeting

This fall semester on the first week of school, my teacher pushed me away from my comfort zone. She assigned the class to attend a 12 step meeting followed by a written paper on our experience. I attended a DUI and Drug Counseling meeting in Libertyville. On my way there, I forecasted the meeting in a small, cold, classroom filled with elderly people gathered around in a circle talking about their everyday battle with alcohol. I’ve heard of 12 step meetings, but I have never been to one or encountered someone who has attended to one. I wondered if people attended voluntarily or if it was court ordered. I wondered if they were going to be praying. I wondered a lot of things which made me really nervous. My expectations were somewhat erroneous.
It was a Monday afternoon, and there were about ten people varying ages from twelve to forty and a spokesperson. The room was warm and filled with brand new chairs and couches. They even had a coffee machine to for us. The meeting started at 7

One thing I will say is that I recommend everyone to attend a 12 step meeting because it is a gainful experience. Hearing a young man, Brain, speak about his struggles with cocaine and trying to recover was an eye opener. One might not be able to relate, but one can understand their perspective. It was a coincidence how the spokesperson pointed out that Brain would touch his nose every time he said the word “cocaine.” Brian’s addiction took away his privilege to have a driver’s license from getting charged with several DUI’s (driving under the influence). He complained about his girlfriend giving him rides to work every morning, and how he hated that he had to wait for her instead of leaving the house and drive to work whenever he wanted to. He hated how he wasn’t able to take his girlfriend out to dates. He hated how he was never going to get that privilege back all because of