Celebrating the Five-Year Anniversary of “In The Loop”!
The World Service Office (WSO) electronic newsletter, In The Loop, celebrates its five-year anniversary with over 35,000 subscribers! The newsletter was originally launched in 2012 as Group eNews and was published in English, French, and Spanish. The monthly
Privileged to Serve in Prisons
Al‑Anon service in prisons has been a privilege and the most rewarding aspect of service I’ve ever experienced. Sounds totally crazy, right? But in prison meetings, I am privileged to see and know people as they are: broken,
I Found What I Needed
At my first Al‑Anon meeting, people were chatting and laughing. It was hard for me to understand how they could find anything to laugh about. I was miserable. Singlehandedly supporting a family of four, I was angry at
The Strength to Let Go
The most difficult thing a loved one of an alcoholic is asked to do is to let go. For perfectionists and control freaks like myself, it is almost impossible. No mother wants to abandon her child when she
Getting Off the Rollercoaster
The last six years of my life have been a rollercoaster, both physically and emotionally. At times, I have felt like it’s me against the world. I have felt angry, confused, and most of the time, very alone.
A Timeless Tool for Public Outreach
In 2020, significant changes were made to our fellowship’s public outreach magazine Al‑Anon Faces Alcoholism (AFA). Two such changes were to remove the year from the cover and to make the magazine available for purchase throughout the year.
How You Can Participate in Distributing Al-Anon PSAs
One of my strengths has always been problem solving. I learned very early in life how to evaluate a situation and find the safest course of action for me. In high school, I was socially awkward, which made
Weakening the Impact of Alcoholism
Growing up in a home with active alcoholism permanently stained my soul. But in Al‑Anon, I’ve learned that even though I can’t change my past, I’m not hopeless. Maybe because tea is my favorite beverage, this image helps
Hope for a Future with My Son
Before I came to Al-Anon, I thought my son’s drinking was never going to end. I was either going to have to find a way to stop it or totally give him up and never see him again.
Hurting, Healing, Helping
Before I entered the rooms of Al‑Anon, I lived by the motto “Whatever does not kill me makes me stronger.” Funny, huh? The reality was that I ended up getting hurt over and over again. Being beat up
Leaving a Legacy to Al-Anon in Your Will
You’ve no doubt heard it said that Al‑Anon helps us become responsible for ourselves—including our finances. Yet seldom do we think of making a will in terms of responsibility. A will is a legacy to future generations.
My Experience with Service Beyond the Group Level
When I was new in Al‑Anon, the idea of service intimidated me. I thought it meant I had to make big decisions that would affect Al‑Anon all over the world. My thinking was so distorted. Luckily, the members