Meeting – Page 14 – "CAL Chat" Blog ~My journey in Al-Anon~

CAL – Beginners’ Meeting (Item # G-2)

WHAT I LEARNED: The 2nd page of this guideline lists CAL recommendations for each of the 6 meetings in the Beginners’ Meeting suggested series. This is great for anyone that has an Al-Anon Newcomer Packet (item # K-10) & no daily reader yet. It’s like a reading roadmap for the first 3 Steps! …Or should…

MTG – Winter Park – “Friday Shepherd of Serenity AFG”

WHAT I LEARNED: If I ever need to be reminded of my progress in the program, all I have to do is go back & visit my family! 😑 Ha ha 😉

CAL – Members Interested in Speaking (Item # G-1)

WHAT I LEARNED: When I was first asked to be a speaker in 2012, I ran to get this item & it wasn’t so much as a guideline as it was a goldmine! I even used it as a checklist to make sure I had certain points covered. Re-reading it now, I see the importance…

CAL – Moving On! From Alateen to Al-Anon (Item # P-59)

WHAT I LEARNED: 1. This is my lowest selling pamphlet. Since December 2011, I’ve only sold a grand total of 1 — & that was at a Gratitude Dinner. So here again I thought “Why do I need to read this? …No one else is!” And once again, now after having read it, I feel…

CAL – Detachment (Item # S-19)

WHAT I LEARNED: This leaflet started out in a World Service Office newsletter for professionals to educate them on how Al-Anon uses the word “detachment” but this outreach piece soon became a runaway hit with members for their own personal recovery. At a meeting last year, I heard this leaflet read aloud & the first…

CAL – The Al-Anon Focus (Item # P-45)

WHAT I LEARNED: 1. Originally, in 1978, this pamphlet was called “Double Winners” but was given its current title 4 years later (with the added subtitle: “For Al-Anon/Alateen Members Who Are Also Recovering Alcoholics”) to avoid giving the impression that one member was more important than another. Although I sometimes still hear the term “Double…

CAL – Many Voices, One Journey (Item # B-31)

WHAT I LEARNED: 1. Initially, I was dreading reading this book. I thought it was just going to be a boring history book with a litany of dates & facts that were as dry as sandpaper. Turns out, this has been one of the best well-written books I’ve come across so far!! It was designed…

CAL – 12 Steps & 12 Traditions for Alateen (Item # P-18)

WHAT I LEARNED: 1. At 48 pages, this is the longest pamphlet in the CAL catalog because it’s filled with a little info about each Step & Tradition followed by several related questions & personal stories from Alateen members. The reflections share quite a bit about when good Traditions go bad, so for someone like…

MTG – Oviedo – “Listen & Learn AFG”

WHAT I LEARNED: I heard a new acronym today – “Nuts” is: Not Using The Steps.

Thank you for your sympathy wishes

This blog has been silent for the past 3 weeks because, as some of you are already aware, my boyfriend of 16 years died of a drug overdose on 11/18/13. No one was aware he was shooting up. He hid it well & didn’t reach out to anybody. And it saddens me to think that the…

CAL – Just For Today Alateen Wallet Card (Item # M-11)

WHAT I LEARNED: This wallet card came out 15 years after Alateen was started – when they hit the 1,000 groups milestone. It’s similar to the “Just for Today” Alateen bookmark version (item # M-13), with the exception of one word at the end of the “Thank You God” prayer: Amen. I rarely ever hear this…