Next month, many people across the United States and Canada turn their focus to the world of recovery. It’s a unique opportunity to shine a bit of the spotlight on Al‑Anon recovery. As our loved ones are either living with active alcoholism or living in sobriety, we owe it to ourselves to celebrate our own serenity.
Before Al‑Anon, I didn’t truly understand this serenity thing. The Serenity Prayer was just something we said at meetings but remained a mystery to me. I want to say I had this big aha moment, but it just kind of snuck up on me. As a son of an alcoholic, I grew up to be somewhat obsessive-compulsive. I started to notice that some of the little things that would annoy me no longer did. Now, the toilet paper still needs to go on the correct way; but I found I was able to recognize, and not stress over, the things I didn’t have control over much more quickly. This led me to a place of inner peace that I don’t remember ever feeling before—a calm I had never experienced. Next month, I will celebrate my recovery and the serenity I have been so blessed to experience.
The way I plan to celebrate this is by practicing the Twelfth Step and carrying this message of hope out into the world so that others can experience the same feelings that I have. Reaching out to others in need of help is made easier with many of the available public outreach service tools. The Outreach Bookmark (M-76) was redesigned recently and is available for free. The 20 questions pamphlets, Are You Troubled by Someone’s Drinking? Al‑Anon Is for You! (S-17), Has Your Life Been Affected by Someone Else’s Drinking? Alateen Is for You! (S-20), and Did You Grow Up with a Problem Drinker? Al‑Anon Is for You! (S-25) are also great resources for those who may not yet believe Al‑Anon is right for them. They can be downloaded for free or purchased for three cents. Of course, there is always our public outreach magazine, Al‑Anon Faces Alcoholism, which is much more comprehensive, filled with sharings from members and professionals. All of these tools can be found on the Al‑Anon online store or by contacting your local Al‑Anon Literature Distribution Center.
Our message of hope is too precious to keep to ourselves. Celebrate your recovery by helping others find theirs.
By Scot P., Associate Director—Digital Strategy
The Forum, August 2020
Reprinted with permission of The Forum, Al‑Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc., Virginia Beach, VA.