With the Strength of Redwoods
My husband and I have been grateful members of Al‑Anon for ten years. When we started, I felt weak and fearful because we had just learned that our son was an alcoholic. We had also just learned that
After a Painful Incident
My husband and I recently attended our daughter’s wedding, where the bridal party started drinking in the morning and kept going all day and all evening. It was a beautiful wedding with no expense spared. But by the
Investing in Technology
The vitality of Al‑Anon Family Groups depends upon reaching and serving as many people as possible to provide hope, help, and recovery for those suffering from the family disease of alcoholism. Technology makes it possible for the World Service
Trailblazers Breakfast on Route 66!
The tradition of honoring our longtime members during the International Convention has taken place in the past at the Pioneer Luncheon. We will continue this tradition at the 2023 International Convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA—but with a
The Changing Spaces of Al-Anon Groups
Since the spring of 2020 and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the continuous and sometimes tumultuous changes in our world have directly impacted our Al‑Anon groups. I, like many Al‑Anon members, was unable to attend my Al‑Anon meetings.
Building My Castle on High Ground
The main drinker in my life has many wonderful attributes. One evening when he was drunk, however, he picked a meaningless argument with me that was useless and destructive. I used the tool of detachment that I learned
Connecting around the World
Three years ago, as March 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic roared in with a vengeance, my beloved Al‑Anon meetings were threatened. Soon, I learned about an electronic platform that enabled face-to-face meetings via my computer. I looked up
Taking a Beauty Break
I’ve learned so much about how to apply Al‑Anon’s tools and spiritual principles by listening to members share their experience, strength, and hope at meetings. I’ve also encountered lessons in unexpected places.While hiking through the Grand Canyon a few
Recovery, Unity, Service, and the Circle of Welcome Within
Before coming to work at the World Service Office (WSO), as a local member, I didn’t think much about the Al‑Anon logo or its history. But in my role as Legal Specialist at the WSO, I’ve had the
Learning from Al-Anon’s Example to Grow at My Own Speed
Page 387 of Many Voices, One Journey (B-31) states, “Al‑Anon as we know it today was not born whole and complete. It developed gradually and took shape over many years.” This idea and the numerous examples shown throughout
Grateful for Greater Access
One of the good things that came out of the COVID-19 pandemic is access to many more Al‑Anon meetings. For a long time, I attended one weekly in-person meeting. Sometimes I would attend more if I was having
The Power of Doing Nothing
At my first Al‑Anon meeting, I was introduced to Step One: “We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.” As much as was possible in the beginning, I understood I was powerless over alcohol