The Sound of Silence
There have been times in my life when silence has been healing for me. Moments spent in meditation, reading a book, or observing nature help turn off the noise of my rapid thoughts and provide me with peace.
Budgeting with Al-Anon Principles: Balancing Savings and Spending
I was 12 years old the first time I created a budget. The family disease of alcoholism had ingrained a scarcity mindset in my mother and me, and our financial situation left her feeling hopeless. To help, I
Accepting Responsibility for Carrying the Message
I came into Al‑Anon utterly demoralized, beaten down by years of living in a degrading situation in my marriage. I had become inured to the cycle of my husband’s drinking, sexual coercion, and verbal abuse that sometimes escalated
Responding to My Son’s Relapse
My son relapsed, and so did I. As I had done before Al‑Anon, I felt sorry for myself and wished my son were different. I thought obsessively about what I could say to him that would make things
Released from Shame over My Son’s Drinking
I woke up filled with dread. It was the day of my monthly breakfast with a small group of moms whose children went to school with mine. My biggest fear was that someone would ask me about my
Affected by Alcoholism, Recovering in Al-Anon
As a child growing up with an alcoholic father, I often curled myself up into the corner of my bed, plugged my ears, and made myself “invisible”—tuning out the violence in our home. By my teenage years, I didn’t
Celebrating 60 Years of Conference Approved Literature
In April 1961, at Al-Anon’s first World Service Conference, our Cofounder Lois W. introduced the idea of Conference Approved Literature (CAL). As Lois explained, it would serve the same purpose as the formation of the Conference—to create unity among
In a Safe Place
I have not missed the irony that the same place where I dropped my daughter off for preschool 14 years ago is now the place where I attend Al-Anon meetings because of her drinking. I remember the first
Still Learning and Growing
I attended my first Al‑Anon meeting in Harare, Zimbabwe, in 1979. Since then, the program has sustained me through many crises, including the suicide of my son at age 18 in 1994 and the death of my husband
A Work in Progress
I used to think that any task I thought I could not do well was not worth doing at all. I was taught that practice makes perfect. But no matter how much I practiced, I never got perfect.
Drumroll Please … “Welcome, Newcomer!” eBooklet Is Available!
We are so excited to announce that Welcome, Newcomer! (eK-10) is now available in an electronic format. That’s right, now you can purchase Welcome, Newcomer! wherever you buy your eBooks. You can buy one for yourself or send a gift code or redemption link directly to a newcomer’s email address! Welcome,
Be on the Lookout for the New Al-Anon PSAs!
The World Service Office (WSO) is pleased to announce the release and the YouTube Premiere of the 2021–2022 Al-Anon Public Service Announcements (PSAs). New this year is the Benefits of Al-Anon Recovery PSA. Please join us for the YouTube Premiere that