Fellowship.

While in the city, I went to a meeting last night, in the same church at which I used to attend a meeting, when I was very new to Al-Anon, over 20 years ago.

It felt quite nostalgic - open the door to the church extension building, walk down the three or four steps, through the double doors, down the hallway, and into the meeting room. I was early, so only 3 people were there, but it soon filled up, and there were about 12-14 members, including myself. (No, I didn't recognise anyone.) I was feeling a bit shy at first, but once the meeting began, the familiar words of the program soon set me at ease.

Once the members began to share, I found myself laughing - it was one of those wonderful meetings where everyone seems to have something helpful to say, and says it with humour. I laughed a lot, and enjoyed the meeting enormously.

For me, this is one of the wonders of 12-Step: I can attend a meeting where I don't know a soul, yet feel perfectly at home. When it's my turn to share, I can speak with relaxed confidence, and gain from the sharings of the others at the meeting. We can be strangers to each other, yet we have a connection in Al-Anon that transcends any differences which might separate us in daily life.