Phone meetings have been a life line for me

In this time of "social distancing" reaching out by phone or on-line can keep our program alive

Staying Connected: What the Al-Anon Phone (Bridge) Meetings mean to me

Having the courage to walk in to my first Al-Anon meeting was one of the hardest things I have ever done and for those that know me know that sharing my feelings is not something that comes easy for me. While I can relate to others who share their experience strength and hope I still feel very vulnerable sometimes when sharing. Just when I was getting comfortable with my home group, I was sent to work out of town which made long commutes. I was so distraught that I would miss my evening meetings and could only attend the weekends. I had discovered that having Al-anon in my everyday life is critical for my well-being. I could certainly read the literature which I do daily and talk to others in the program but seriously, calling someone….is that even a real thing…..the weight of the telephone……lol As my higher power whom I chose to call God would have it, I was in a meeting last May and heard another Al-Anon member share that when she was traveling she would get on these phone bridge meetings which sounded like something that was just for me. I spoke with her after the meeting and she sent me the information. Isn’t that my higher power working for me?

I remember hearing in the meetings that it “works if you work it” and if I was “honest, open and willing” and recently if “my heart has the desire I can do this” that I could have what I see in so many others through their experience, strength and hope so I decided after driving to work a few days feeling pretty sorry for myself as I often did I should try the phone meetings. I found that there were more than one to choose from. My first number I called went well, I realized that I could listen to the meeting, share if I wanted to for my entire drive to work, the whole hour! What a blessing that was. After attending the phone meetings for a week or so I decided to try a different number at the same time. So, at 5:00am central time I started calling in and have been amazed to hear that people were calling in from all over the country and beyond. While most were in the East Coast, there are other travelers calling in from Europe, Mexico, UK and all over the United States. It is so beautiful to see this program work no matter where you are and to know that there is always a hand in Al-Anon for us……...we just have to reach for it.

Finding the phone meetings has meant everything to me while working this program and knowing that if I am honest and open God provides the grace for me to face my whatever is ahead and that I have somewhere to go anytime day or night! This program has been such a blessing in my life, and I am extremely grateful to have found it!

If you are an early riser and would like to hear experience, strength and hope from all over the country and beyond please join us on the “Sunrise Meeting” @ 5:00am central time. (712)4328808 Code 2287# Tamera H.

Happy Destiny Al-anon Family Group and Acceptance is the Answer Al-anon Family groups are switching to Zoom meetings during the Covid-19 outbreak. Keep your program alive by joining us on Fridays @ 7:30pm (Acceptance is the Answer AFG) and Saturdays @ 5:00pm (Happy Destiny AFG). Use our "contact us" page to reach out to us and we will send you the zoom link.