NEW DAWN OR NEW WORLD?My Home group NEW DAWN is where between 60-80 people meet every day at 7 AM. For ten years this was a simple "meeting" without "group" affiliation. Last fall we became a Group, and that's when "stuff" began.
One faction (for want of a better word) was armed and ready for battle. They have pushed through a couple dozen "rules", i.e., nobody allowed to talk beyond 2 minutes. Each business meeting there are constructed and voted more rules, or simple changes in wording of former rules. (Reminiscent of a small bureaucracy.)
Another group wishes for the "old" days when we simply held "group conscience" meetings. They (we) realize the necessity of being a contributing group. Note that all the officer positions are filled, about 30 attend the business meetings, and that is all good. The rub comes here:
Each Thursday we invite a 'speaker' who uses about a half hour, then we discuss anything after that. The last two Thursday-morning speakers shared SO 'from the heart'. They are not "old-timers". Both were slightly nervous, and obviously not versed in the grand art of public speaking. But their (one each of last two Thursdays) messages were clear. They are truly loved by their AA fellow members.
(Briefly!) After each of those Thursday meetings, the chairperson received telephone calls (two different callers), saying he had better get some "better speakers". This has devastated the chairperson, and the speakers, and potential speakers.
Almost all members of the group find the behavior APPALLING! Fear pervades those who might be asked to speak. NOTE: the callers--who broke several Traditions--each are heavily influenced by this group of "old guard" long-timers. Bad scene. This self-righteous group of gurus is called by all--even themselves, proudly--"The Jury"...and yes, there IS a judge.
Maybe it is time for a serious "group inventory" or at the least, some serious 8th and 9th Step work.
We are handling it--you betchum, Red Ryder--but I wanted to put this out there, so every one of us realizes that AA with all its miracled wonderful goodness, experiences some member-waywardness now and then, usually at the group level. But there is not a single cold human heart which cannot be melted by prayer, talking, mediating, more prayer, and finally a splitting of a group...if it comes to that.
And as we know, NOTHING which happens now has not happened before. And survival of Alcoholics Anonymous has prevailed through all these nearly 75 years.
The marvelous miracle we witness daily here, upon which we all agree...is that miracle of one drunk talking to another drunk--and both staying sober. Praise God!
Peace and Love, blogger peeps...
Steve E
TRIVIA
Unnoticed sounds pitched too low for the human ear to recognize, still can make people sad. How sad!
22 comments:
Hard to put out here in the written word what I am thinking, something along the line of that we all are all human and a work in progress, and nothing is ever perfect, which is actually the beauty of life.
I'm sorry. Something about your post had me laughing all the way through. People can really screw things up, can't they? Sounds like a very funny movie, altho' I'm sure it's not funny to all of you while it's happening. You've got to keep writing this stuff down. This is on the order of the day my tipsy brother punched out Mickey Mouse at Disneyworld because he got to thinking the man beneath the costume was a pervert.
HOLY COW! Punched Mickey? He must have thought it was (our) Mickey (blogger asshole!)...
Did the Secret Service intervene...in the Mickey Mouse episode?
No secret service. But, needless to say, my brother is no longer welcome in Disneyworld. He might've been stoned, but he's not crazy. You might want to keep a watch out for Mickey.
Some people can truly try one's patience. It's hard enough to get up in front of a group of people, little alone be judged.
You set 'em straight, Steve-0-Openhearted!
this is funny, we just had our area service meeting today. and yes we addicts can screw it up!! you alchies don't have a monopoly on that one.
that mickey, one time he tried to leave some comment on my blog saying he was you!! no kiddin, i almost posted it!! that guy is a nut.
but then aren't we all.
You could just tell the judge and jury to sit down and shut-up...
Here's another amazing thought...
"Allow yourself to be empowered by the Power within you."
If that doesn't work fast enough...Consider the difference between you and the Mountains... You can MOVE! Hugs!
Just what I needed to read tonight! Oh, Boy!
I "know" the jury and the judge. God must have His purposes somewhere in all of this. Wonder where?
ME
wow- that sounds like the group conscience of one of my old homegroups.
at least people in your group attended those group consciences though- the last meeting at my new homegroup had about 6 people in attendance.
Steve - been there a number of times and I'm a big believer in the Group inventory process. Please keep the doors open - I might need a meeting in FL someday.
Blessings and aloha...
Indeed, it sounds like time for a group inventory.
Oh yes, group dynamics! Always a ton of fun.
ick! i hope you guys manage to return it to the group it once was and is meant to be....
Wish my late brother could have had join that group, he could have been atill alive (he died just last month, drunk and drove)
chubskulit...your late brother can now join my group, or any group (hope it's mine) and help us to live better lives, and to love each other. That includes, of course, tolerate one enother -grin!
Maybe that group should consider some serious discussion of the AA Traditions.
Personally, I believe I'd have to find another group to attend.
There's nothing I can say that the other's haven't already other than this:
Have a great Monday Steve!
P.S. Madison's Mickey story - hilarious! I never heard of anyone being banned from Disney! Classic!
I think its hard enough having to talk in a group - let alone have others not in the spirit of the meeting...
I'm with you on the Traditions and how important they are to keep meetings going rather than having egos run rampant and the "bad" actors running the show. I believe that if I had been the chair and gotten those calls, I would have gently reminded the caller of placing principles above personalities. And that perhaps a good step meeting on Step 10 was in order. Just sayin.
Sounds like you have a really big group of recovering drug addicts. It's great to have a lot of people to lean on in that situation.
Some people just love to make simple things complicated.
Great story
Brett.
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