2 Things:
I am NOT an alcoholic.
But I did go to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.
One of my recent nursing school adventures included attending an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. It was a really eye opening experience for me. I wish I could express how incredibly grateful I am that this organization exists... so many people are finding healing and hope through their well known 12-step program and support groups. I feel so privileged that I had the chance to sit in and hear their stories. I left feeling so encouraged that people really can change... the journey may be messy, but there is always [always] hope.
One thing is for sure, that may have been the tightest community of people that I have ever been around. And the most welcoming too. Seriously, before I even sat down I had 5 people come up to me to introduce themselves and start conversations. They were more vulnerable and honest and welcoming than any church group I have ever been around. I apologize if that offends you, but it's true (at least in my experience). You know, I think Jesus was on to something with His habit of hanging around people that struggled with things like alcoholism and addiction. I saw something really beautiful in this group of people. Maybe it was their desperation for change and healing. Maybe it was the humble common ground they shared - knowing that no one there had things figured out. I guess I cannot exactly put my finger on it, but I left feeling like I'd learned a big lesson from the people in that group. A lesson in humility and openness and acceptance and love and hope and transparency.
By the end of the meeting I felt like I had a confessional statement of my own to share... "Hi, my name is Jarah and I struggle with pride and piety and fear and insecurity. So, in a lot of ways, you all have more figured out than I do." In hindsight, I suppose it was my pride that kept me from saying it. I wish I would've.
I would like to challenge you to attend an open A.A. meeting. Yes you. I will warn you though, you will leave much more uncomfortable than you came. But not for the reasons you might think. If you allow it to penetrate your heart, it will challenge you in some really significant areas of your life.
Okay, getting off my soap box now... As always, thanks for reading the ramblings of this motely character.
One thing is for sure, that may have been the tightest community of people that I have ever been around. And the most welcoming too. Seriously, before I even sat down I had 5 people come up to me to introduce themselves and start conversations. They were more vulnerable and honest and welcoming than any church group I have ever been around. I apologize if that offends you, but it's true (at least in my experience). You know, I think Jesus was on to something with His habit of hanging around people that struggled with things like alcoholism and addiction. I saw something really beautiful in this group of people. Maybe it was their desperation for change and healing. Maybe it was the humble common ground they shared - knowing that no one there had things figured out. I guess I cannot exactly put my finger on it, but I left feeling like I'd learned a big lesson from the people in that group. A lesson in humility and openness and acceptance and love and hope and transparency.
By the end of the meeting I felt like I had a confessional statement of my own to share... "Hi, my name is Jarah and I struggle with pride and piety and fear and insecurity. So, in a lot of ways, you all have more figured out than I do." In hindsight, I suppose it was my pride that kept me from saying it. I wish I would've.
I would like to challenge you to attend an open A.A. meeting. Yes you. I will warn you though, you will leave much more uncomfortable than you came. But not for the reasons you might think. If you allow it to penetrate your heart, it will challenge you in some really significant areas of your life.
Okay, getting off my soap box now... As always, thanks for reading the ramblings of this motely character.
1 comment:
I've been to celebrate recovery (a christian step-based program, very similar to AA) to support friends, and I've always been challenged and convicted by the warmth and community I found there. I think now it's cliche in churches to say "we're all a bunch of messed up people," but saying that phrase from the platform is way different than forming a community in which people actually bear their inadequacies and issues with one another. I want to be a part of changing our churches' culture -- I want to become a woman who is not afraid to be open and who makes others feel that they can be transparent with me.
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