Fellowship

I am a grateful member of the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous. I went to meeting of my old home group yesterday morning. It was so glorious to be sitting there amongst the new and the old. It was my friend Fred's 34th AA anniversary (I call them birthdays). I was so glad I got to be there for that.

He said something that echoed something I haven't been able to articulate. He said it like a 75 year old truck driver, and I am not that, so I am sure I won't paraphrase exactly right.

He said "If you don't like our war stories, don't worry, just keep doing what your doing, and you will end up with war stories of your own."

As I sat there, I realized how safe I felt sitting in an AA meeting room full of sober alcholics. I looked around and there was Eddie. Eddie is from Philly and he was the hippest, slickest, and coolest back in the 80s when I met him. He needed to do a little more research, so he hasn't been sober that long, but he has got about 15 years now. Roland was sitting next to him. Roland has been sober 28 years and I have known him for about 15 years. Next to him was Elmer - who sobered up a few months before me, so I have known him for my entire sobriety. Terry was across the room. Terry got sober in October of 1983 - 9 months before I did. I have known her the entire time I have been sober in AA. And then there was Denny... he took me to my first meeting. He has stayed sober all this time too. He is sober about a year and a half more than me, so about 23.5 years now.

I used to wonder why guys with lots of sobriety would want to be with others with lots of sobriety. I thought it was snobbery. Gee Whiz, it is so far from snobbery. I just want to be one of the crowd. I don't want to stand out as someone who has been sober "a long time." I just want to be one of the group. I hate to be the one in the room who has been sober the longest.

I am happy to report that there is no danger of that happening at the Morning After group any time soon.

Thank you God!