Member

One of our goals is to collect personal sharings on a variety of topics from Al-Anon and Alateen members from the Fort Worth area. The goal is to include web pages oriented for newcomers. We envision a web page with personal sharings from Alateens, adult children of alcoholics, parents of alcoholic children, etc. But we do not yet have enough personal sharings to have separate web pages on these and other newcomer topics. When we have enough sharings to make a web page on a specific topic, we will add a selection button for that topic on this site. Please send us a sharing. If you are an Al-Anon or Alateen member in the Fort Worth area please, print the “Public Outreach on the Web” form, write a small portion of your story, send it to us, and ask someone else to write a sharing too.

I grew up very bitter and turn my back from God. Soon after, my granddad passed and I was molested by an uncle. I kept it a secret. I was very lonely and thought that no one loved me. So I married a soldier to move to New Zealand . He was an alcoholic. I left him and married two more alcoholics. I was a mess. We moved from California to Texas . The first month we met, my partner had his second DUI. I was very ashamed, angry, lonely, and very fearful. In addition, I was trying to raise two children by myself. I hit rock bottom and went to my first Al-anon meeting in 2007. It was the same place that I was sent by my therapist in 2000. I was very tired and my last hope was Al-anon. Somehow, I felt a “spirit” during one of the meetings and I decided I was in the right fellowship. Slowly, I start to share and taking the Al-anon tools with me everywhere I went. I found a sponsor and study the steps along with the AA Big Book with her. Every meeting is so priceless, because it reminded me how powerless I am over the alcoholic, people, places, and things. I started living again with a higher power of my understanding to guide me one day at a time. My journey in Al-anon is challenging as the alcoholic in my life is going through a recovery himself. I have learned to listen, to think, to take it easy, to let-go-and-let-God in my life. I know my higher power is listening, and showing me the right step in Al-anon. I know now, that I was very sick before all these alcoholics came in to my life. I have to change me and let go every morning, I am so grateful I have a chance to attend a meeting in my area. Each time, someone else's story reminds me how fortunate I am and I have the alcoholic to thank for bringing Al-anon to me. My hurt and pain lessen as I attend meetings. Life is a blessing.

-- Ami Mc. Arlington AFG

Detaching with love has been one of the best lessons Al-Anon has taught me. Today I can detach from others' lives and know that they have to experience their paths as God has planned for them WITHOUT my direction.

Through Al-Anon I've realized there is hope. I had forgotten that and I had completely forgotten my Higher Power. I am so thankful I have both again. It was all I could do to take care of myself and my children. Now I'm able to reach out to others through service work.

Information Service has helped me to be more aware of the importance of our trusted servants and our responsibilities to the other members of the program and not responsibility for them. It has helped me to take action about being a part of the AFG and my commitment to my recovery.

--Laurel T.

By doing service work of some kind twenty four years of being in the program of Al-Anon I have been privileged to go many places and meet so many Al-Anons throughout our United States, including Alaska and Hawaii. You never know where your Higher Power will take you if you
are willing to be used by H.P.

A changed attitude that I have taken is one of acceptance. When I accept others as they are, I am less likely to react negatively. Lowering my expectations allows me to be free from disappointment. Acceptance of myself allows me to practice the slogan “Easy Does It” whenever I feel I’m not “measuring up”. I cannot change another person but if and when I am willing, my attitude is the one thing I can change. It is exciting to watch others notice a change in me. It can be contagious—a positive attitude. Al-Anon has given me the freedom to make positive choices or negative choices.

Before Al-Anon everything was about me and how “they” did this to me. When I came to Al-Anon, got a sponsor and took the 12 steps my life changed. It was over a year before I stopped thinking about me. My sponsor encouraged me to sign up for chairing meetings and being a part of the steering committee. Four years later I don’t take myself so seriously. I look forward to helping others. Al-Anon gave me a God of my understanding and helped me get out of myself and into service and into action.

Word of mouth lead me to the Arlington Al-Anon group. I moved up to Arlington from San Antonio. I was in Al-Anon in San Antonio less than one year. I’ve lived here now one and a half years. Al-Anon groups helped me in adjusting to a new area and gave me the friendship I needed. I was “sad, sick & sorry. Being in a new area, my life drastically changed. Nothing in my circumstance has changed from July to present but today I see my beautiful husband, my two great daughters, my blessed career as a chiropractor and I have peace in my heart. I am so grateful that I let the program raise me up to see what God sees in my life.

Self pity and making others responsible for my well-being were attitudes I came to Al-Anon with. We joked in my family about my pouting chair. These attitudes have changed in me as a result of practicing detachment, keeping the focus on me and hearing over & over that no one else is responsible for my happiness. Taking care of my own responsibilities is part of my recovery whether anyone else is taking care of theirs. It’s a choice. Having a sponsor who I could be honest with about how I felt & practicing acceptance of myself as is, have been the most helpful tool in moving from self-pity and fear to a more positive attitude I am free to live today.

I keep coming back because it is the best place to get a dose of serenity, with hugs and a lot of encouragement to keep our group going forward and get involved in it and a lot of different suggestions to keep the group healthy.

They say when you don’t want to go to a meeting, you really need to. I am so grateful that I did. I would have stayed home--doing housework. Instead I got out to enjoy a beautiful day, a nice drive, some traffic but chose an alternate route. I appreciated a good meeting with good information. No excuses, just go to the nearest fellowship of Al-Anon, where love and acceptance abounds.

I came to Al-Anon the first time because my therapist recommended it after I finally admitted I was married to an alcoholic after 19 years. At that first meeting I immediately identified with the part of the first step that says “our lives have become unmanageable.” Mine was! I was in a psychiatric rehab facility. I still come back after 10 years because it works and I know I can always learn from others and hopefully can help others.

I have a daughter who has done drugs in the past and she has an active alcoholic/addict for a boyfriend. It was suggested to me to come to Al-Anon because I was staying upset about them all the time. I also think that I need to learn how to deal with them and how to take care of myself. I have a son also that exhibits alcoholic behaviors, he drinks socially but he acts like he is an alcoholic and he is back from the Navy. I am an alcoholic and we all live in the same house. I believe Al-Anon can help me handle these situations.

I’m using the Serenity Prayer on a daily basis because my life continues to be filled with change and change is frightening to me. I’m grateful for the opportunity to grow, but sometimes wish God didn’t trust me so much.
--Pat M.

It’s Spring time and I’m Growing- Spring to me means a new beginning. I fell that since I found Al-Anon (2 yrs. Ago) I have had a new beginning. My situation at home has changed somewhat, but it is me and my attitude that has changed. Every meeting, conference, etc. that I attend I learn something new about myself I am growing-just like the butterfly-it grows into a beautiful part of spring. I am changing like a butterfly and growing into a new woman. I have learned how to do this through my Al-Anon program.
--Anonymous

It’s Spring time and I’m Growing When I worked on Step Five, my sponsor kept asking. “What part did you have in that?” Finding my Contribution to my unfortunate encounters was empowering. I had felt so powerless and out of control. Now, I could examine what I was doing to create my misery.
--Anonymous