THE AA MEETING (standard:other, 733 words)
Author: Meagonne	Added: May 25 2011	Views/Reads: 3008/2	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Cindy is about to write a paper for a college class about subtance abuse. she decides to sit in on a meeting first.

THE AA MEETING Word count 733 

Topic Prayer 

I once attended an AA meeting while vacationing in Texas. I was there
visiting my daughter who was about to give birth to her second child. I 
was going to write a paper on substance abuse for a class I was taking 
at the local college where I lived in Maryland. I thought it might help 
if I sat in on a meeting before writing my paper.  The meeting started 
at 8 Pm on a Wednesday evening at a Boy Scout hut behind a Presbyterian 
church. I walked through the door of the small building. I noticed 
coffee pots over in the corner filled with coffee. For people to help 
themselves if they liked. As I sat down at one of the long tables. The 
people looked at me as if I were just another member. 

I noticed there were more women then than men at the meeting. They were
all seated on wooden folding chairs around long tables. This was a 
large group about fifty people in all. Their ages ranged from eighteen 
to sixty. The lady in charge was of Mexican decent. She was a short 
older woman with long dark hair that hung loose over her shoulders.  
She started the meeting by sharing her Addiction to alcohol. She then 
asked other members if they would give their names and the addiction 
they were trying to overcome. I noticed there were quite a few women 
who were addicted to alcohol and drugs. I gave my name. She then asked 
if anyone would like to share to share his or her experiences with the 
other member. Some of the people did. 

Most of the people who shared were raised in a strict Catholic religion.
 They had to attend church when they were children and then rebelled as 
teenagers and quite attending church altogether. 

The first man to speak was a big man with deep blue eyes. He stammered
at first from nervousness, but after awhile seemed more relaxed. He 
spoke of his years of drinking and being a hell-- raiser he also talked 
of finding a higher power who has helped him stay sober.  I noticed the 
coffee cup setting in front of him with the words  “one day at a time” 

The next man who volunteered to speak was wearing a t--shirt with a
Santa's sleigh full of fish on the front of it. He spoke of when he was 
young and going to church, how he would fake his religion, not paying 
much attention to God, or church. While he is trying to stay sober he 
prays every day and told how much it helps. 

The next person to speak was a pretty Mexican girl no older then
eighteen years. She suffered from alcohol and drug addiction. This has 
been very upsetting for her mother and grandmother. The young woman 
said she is trying hard to stay off alcohol and drugs and she spoke of 
God who was helping her a lot. One more women spoke before the meeting 
ended she was also of Catholic religion and told of her many attempts 
to end her addictions and her misery before she found a higher power. 

Everyone had a look of compassion on their faces as each person told
their story, because they all knew they had walked in their shoes at 
one time or another. There seemed to be a lot of regret in their voices 
for the years wasted dealing with their addictions. The sadness in 
their eyes told of the bad times they had been through. Most of the 
group seemed very intelligent and told how praying has helped them deal 
with every day problems in life. 

The meeting was closed with the group forming a circle and holding hands
while we said the Lord's Prayer. I think these meetings help people who 
are suffering through the same turmoil's, and it can be helpful having 
other people to talk with who understand. 

As I walked to the door to leave a young woman walked up and said hi I'm
Rhonda I didn't get your name. I   said hi I'm Cindy I am glad to meet 
you. As I walked out into the warm night I knew it would be the last 
time I would see any of them again, but I knew they would be there to 
help each other. 


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