I was in a discussion with a fellow alcoholic who's been in recovery for a few years.
And it was about how a man with over 20 years of sobriety behaves at meetings. Because he's been sober a long time and knows a lot about the book this guy has appointed himself an authority. He's sort of a negative legend.
He loudly voices his opinion on every aspect of the program. How people should dress at meetings. Why they shouldn't talk about certain substances. They should shut up and listen. His list of rules goes on and on. Loudly.
While I could continue taking this guy's inventory, it's a waste of screen space.
My philosophy about how others should behave at meetings is simple: it's none of my business unless they ask for my help or opinion.
Too often I've been a meetings where the discussion gets away from principles and into personalities. That undercuts the whole purpose of the program.
Sure there are people at meetings who don't talk about the things I think they should. Or they don't behave well.
But my belief is that the idea that they're even at a meeting is a start. They have their foot in the door. And if someone comes down on them hard about something trivial they may not be back. They may leave and continue doing what they were doing. And the thing they were doing might eventually kill them.
I don't want any part of that on my conscience.
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