Rae had been sober for decades, after attending her first Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in the early 1970s. Charlotte Rae, the actress who became famous as Mrs. Garrett on Diff’rent Strokes and The Facts of Life, died Sunday at 92. Rae was diagnosed with bone cancer last year and was weighing how aggressively to treat the… Continue reading "Facts Of Life" Star Charlotte Rae Dies At 92
Tag: AA
Is There Life After AA?
I was fed up with the fear-based conditioning of being told that if I left, I wouldn’t stay sober, and I was tired of the constant message that my future was up to some mystic higher power. When I walked into my first AA meeting, I felt like I was broken into a million pieces.… Continue reading Is There Life After AA?
International Conference of Secular AA Coming To Toronto In August
All members of AA are welcome to attend the conference, which takes place August 24-26 in Toronto, ON. The third biennial conference of Secular AA (ICSAA 2018), with a theme of inclusion and diversity, will take place in Toronto, ON from August 24th through August 26th later this summer. The conference will take place at… Continue reading International Conference of Secular AA Coming To Toronto In August
Meditating on Meth
Trying to sit with myself, high or not, was unbearable. The feelings that came up were the reason I used. For years I had been running from myself. The last time I had meditated was that week I was on crystal meth. Not because I was seeking any form of enlightenment, but rather for the… Continue reading Meditating on Meth
The Importance of Women’s Recovery Spaces
Women’s meetings gave me the space to talk about the unspeakable, allowing me to move closer to becoming free from the fear that has kept me shackled.[Content Note: Discussions of IPV] I started my sobriety journey in a foreign city where there was one English speaking 12-step meeting daily, and a relatively small number of… Continue reading The Importance of Women’s Recovery Spaces
Dating While (Newly) Sober
When my sponsor told me about the suggestion to not date for a year, that I should just concentrate on getting sober, I said: “I’m a really good multi-tasker.” I thought that when I got sober, I’d get into the best shape of my life, start going to the gym all the time, train for… Continue reading Dating While (Newly) Sober
Nature as Power Greater
How would I turn “my will and my life” over to the Earth which, as beautiful and awe-inspiring as it is, surely doesn’t care whether I get clean or don’t? When I was early in 12-step recovery and trying to get my head and heart around Step Two (as if Step One hadn’t been mind-blowing… Continue reading Nature as Power Greater
Do AA's Promises Come True?
After completing the 12 steps, a long-time member of AA shares his experience of the 9th step promises. Russell Brand recently released his own creative interpretation of AA’s Twelve Steps. As a recovering alcoholic myself (since 12/30/1983), I admire how he captures the essence of the program, while still more or less respecting its tradition… Continue reading Do AA's Promises Come True?
Touching What (I Thought) Was Gone
In the last 36 hours I’ve been to five meetings, sat three times in meditation and sobbed on a friend’s couch. But I’m OK. Love, in my experience, has meant seismic emotional shifts and condemnation, turning even “what do you want for dinner” into a combat zone. I was in a rage-fueled, co-dependent relationship with… Continue reading Touching What (I Thought) Was Gone
How Sponsoring Fellow Alcoholics Is Teaching Me How To Parent My Son
How do I, an alcoholic with a dysfunctional childhood who didn’t even begin maturing until his early 30s, go about the daunting duty of raising a son to manhood? Recovery through Alcoholics Anonymous has helped me build an incredible life. A restored marriage, a promising career, and a comfortable suburban home highlight the tangibles; the… Continue reading How Sponsoring Fellow Alcoholics Is Teaching Me How To Parent My Son