Before Al-Anon, I thought the loving thing to do when anyone shared their problems with me was to offer them my best advice about how to fix whatever the problem was. Whether I had any expertise related to their problem or not, I would eagerly tell the person what I thought they should do. Solutions popped around in my mind like popcorn kernels in a kettle of hot oil.
When I got to my first Al-Anon meeting and heard the guidelines for sharing—something about not giving advice and speaking from our own experience—I wondered how anyone was going to get the help they needed. More than that, I wondered how I was going to get the help I needed if no one there could tell me what to do.
Fittingly, the name of my home group was “Listen and Learn.” As members shared their experiences, I recognized my own and felt relief that I was not alone. As they shared the tools and spiritual principles that helped them navigate their various alcoholic family situations and personal challenges, I learned that I could use those same tools and apply those same principles to my life.
I found more of this valuable experience, strength, and hope in the pages of our Conference Approved Literature (CAL). There were even indexes where I could look up specific topics! Al-Anon literature is the source of help that it is not because it advises or tells members what to do, but because it is made up of the lived experiences of our members. Reading about the myriad ways Al-Anon members apply our Legacies and program principles gives me resources, options, and most of all, hope for dealing with the effects of the family disease of alcoholism.
In 2023, the World Service Conference (WSC) approved the development of a new piece of literature on PERSONAL AND SERVICE SPONSORSHIP (working title) focusing on members’ personal stories. In 2024, the WSC approved the development of a piece of literature about how members apply Al-Anon principles to their relationship with finances. The World Service Office (WSO) is currently seeking sharings for the FINANCES IN Al-Anon RECOVERY piece (working title) and the PERSONAL AND SERVICE SPONSORSHIP piece. (Visit al-anon.org/sharing to see the detailed writing guides for each and to submit online.)
Additionally, WSO Staff will be conducting writing workshops at the 2025 A.A. International Convention with Al-Anon and Alateen participation in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, July 3–6, 2025. Writing workshops will be offered in English and Spanish and will focus on the new CAL as well as on writing about the Legacies and writing for our magazines.
Thanks to Al-Anon, I no longer blurt out advice or tell other people what to do. I can tell you, though, that sharing my experience in writing, whether for The Forum or another piece of CAL in development, has enriched my recovery. In sharing my experience, strength, and hope, I always receive far more than I give.
By Carol C., Associate Director—Literature
Reprinted with permission of Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc., Virginia Beach, VA.