WHAT I LEARNED: When church bells rang out a long song at the end of the meeting, it leant an ethereal quality to the closing being read. 🔔 Perhaps it’s all this reading I’ve been doing lately on Al-Anon’s history, but for a brief moment I felt connected not just to the people in the…
Tag: Alcoholism
CAL – Al-Anon Spoken Here (Item # P-53)
WHAT I LEARNED: 1. This is the seventh pamphlet in the general Al-Anon Newcomer Packet (item # K-10) & is the only one marked “Service” on the front (instead of “Recovery”). I imagine that’s because this pamphlet is also used as outreach literature. 2. This pamphlet addresses 15 common Frequently Asked Questions – especially regarding…
MTG – Maitland – “Saturday Serenity AFG”
WHAT I LEARNED: The clock in the room was stuck at 20 minutes ’til the top of the hour. I knew it was broken even before the meeting started, yet as the meeting continued, every time I glanced at it I thought the time was correct. Oh how I’ve done this with so many things in my life! Where…
CAL – A Guide for the Family of the Alcoholic (Item # P-7)
This is the sixth pamphlet in the general Al-Anon Newcomer Packet (item # K-10) & is one of the few examples of early “outside literature” being grandfathered into the CAL catalog. It was issued in 1962 & is primarily based on an article by a non-member: the former director of the Charlotte Council on Alcoholism. This pamphlet…
MTG – Maitland – “Wednesday Morning Harmony AFG”
WHAT I LEARNED: If I was given the chance between changing either one thing in my past or one thing in my future, who’s to say it would really make any difference in my life? …Because I would still be exactly where I need to be.
CAL – Dear Mom & Dad (Item # P-67)
WHAT I LEARNED: This is the fifth pamphlet in the general Al-Anon Newcomer Packet (item # K-10). It mostly features testimonials from Alateen members, but what I really found interesting is this was the first time I’ve read the Alateen preamble. I thought only a few words would be changed compared to the one I’m used to…
CAL – So You Love an Alcoholic (Item # P-14)
WHAT I LEARNED: 1. So you love an alcoholic? Well join the club! This is the fourth pamphlet in the general Al-Anon Newcomer Packet (item # K-10). I like that it lists several “Do’s” & “Don’ts.” I’ve seen a great list like this for Alateen (item # M-9), but this is the first one I’ve…
CAL – Understanding Ourselves & Alcoholism (Item # P-48)
WHAT I LEARNED: This is the third pamphlet in the general Al-Anon Newcomer Packet (item # K-10) & I think it could’ve easily been named “Been There, Done That!” It lays out the predictable patterns of both the alcoholic & the non-alcoholic with such precision it seems it could be a science. This pamphlet doesn’t sugar-coat…
MTG – Maitland – “Carrying the Message AFG”
WHAT I LEARNED: Sometimes in life it’s not just my phone that needs to be on “silent,” but my mouth as well. Or maybe some days, just for fun, it should be on vibrate! Ha ha!
MTG – Winter Park – “Winter Park Morning AFG”
WHAT I LEARNED: I am not in charge… I am not in charge… I am not in charge…
CAL – Information for the Newcomer (Item # S-4)
WHAT I LEARNED: In my view, this pamphlet is a short breakdown of each part of the preamble read at the beginning of meetings. I can see why, of the 6 different types of Packets available, this is the first pamphlet of the most popular one: the general Al-Anon Newcomer Packet (item # K-10). It answers 11 frequently asked…
CAL – Purpose & Suggestions (Item # P-13)
WHAT I LEARNED: 1. Lois W. & Anne B. wrote this as Al-Anon’s very first pamphlet in 1951. Interestingly, its title used to be “Purposes & Suggestions.” According to “The Al-Anon Family Groups (Classic Edition)” (item # B-5), the title was changed in 1976 affirming only one purpose (see Tradition 5). …Makes me curious what…
MTG – Orlando – “Today’s Hope AFG”
WHAT I LEARNED: Sometimes the “gifts” I get from this program are actual physical possessions that I can carry around with me. Thank you for the one I got at this meeting tonight because I know I will treasure it for a long time to come!
MTG – Maitland – “Carrying the Message AFG”
WHAT I LEARNED: I’m humbled by the rawness of stories from newcomers. The sheer honesty is piercing. If I ever minimize my progress in this program, I’ll come back to this Newcomer’s Meeting for a wake up call.
MTG – Deland – “Deland AFG”
WHAT I LEARNED: Keeping it simple is not simple. …If it was, I would have done it already & been onto more complicated things (or should I say “complicating things”). Ha ha 😜
CAL – Al-Anon: Then and Now (Item # AR-2)
WHAT I LEARNED: 1. Regional Service Seminars (RSS’s) were established in 1979 but I have never heard of these. 2. Apparently between the US & Canada there are 9 regions total & 3 RSS’s per year. I’m on the hunt to find out more about these & when the next one will be. 🕵️♀️ If…
"CAL Chat" Blog ~My journey in Al-Anon~ 