THEY ARE WALKING AWAY DEAD..."OUR PRIMARY PURPOSE"

[ROBERT]

AT A MEETING TONIGHT THERE WAS A STILL SUFFERING ALCOHOLIC 2 WEEKS DRY...SHE SHARED SOME PAIN OVER SOME FAMILY ISSUES...SHE WAS BESIDES HER SELF...A RESTLESS-IRRITABLE-DISCONTENTED -MISERABLE PERSON, REDUCED TO TEARS. TO MY AMAZEMENT NOT ONE PERSON TALKED ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE WHEN THEY WERE NEW,AND HOW THEY FOUND A SOLUTION....MOSTLY " OH IT'LL BE OK,TELL YOUR FAMILY ABOUT ALANON,GO TO 90 MEETINGS, HANG OUT W/ THE WINNERS BLAH,BLAH BLAH---I FELT CONFUSED,HURT & SAD---SOME OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE! AT THE END I SPOKE UP,SHARED WHAT IT WAS LIKE FOR ME WHEN I PUT DOWN THE BOOZE AND I COULD NOT STAND LIVING,WANTED TO BLAME EVERYONE,AND COULD NOT STAY SOBER-I SHARED THAT I WAS MALAJUSTED TO LIFE-AND ON PG 52--2ND PARAGRAPH WHAT IT WAS LIKE FOR ME WHEN NOT DRINKING--AND I FOUND THE SOLUTION IN THE 12 STEPS.SAD--PEOPLE ARE WALKING AWAY FROM MEETINGS DIEING..

[Dallas]

Robert, I understand.

It's heart-breaking to see newcomers come into the rooms... and they're told about everything other than "the solution"..... that can solve their problems.

I used to wonder "why is this?"

Then, I observed... that in some rooms many of those people were told the same thing... they were told about everything other than "the solution"... that could solve their problem. And, as a result... they don't know what "the solution" is.

It's back to the old saying... "You can't give away something that you haven't got."

To carry the message -- one must have received the message -- and worked the message.

The lady was fortunate that you were in that room on that day. What you shared may save her life.

Thank you for being of service. Had it not been for AA members like yourself when I was new -- that helped me by sharing their experience, strength and hope by telling me about "the solution".... it would be a different alcoholic writing this message! I would be dead.

I almost died in AA my first time around -- listening to those who said everything other than telling me about the nature of my disease and what the solution is.

Dallas