The Forum Magazine
Al-Anon's monthly magazine, The Forum, contains many personal stories of inspiration, some of which are made available each month on the Internet by authorization of Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc.
The following article is from the January 2010 issue of The Forum. If you would like to subscribe, visit the World Service website. You can order online or by a printable order form (pdf).
Focusing on the good, leaving the past behind
My life was a chaotic mess. I went to my first Al-Anon meeting thinking that I was going to learn everything I needed to know to fix the alcoholic in a few easy steps. The last thing I wanted to hear was that I had a problem. Little did I know that a year later I would arrive at that same meeting a different, better person.
I realized I had a mental obsession and it was imperative that I learn a whole new way of thinking. To this end I needed to get a Sponsor, work the Twelve Steps of Al-Anon, go to meetings, and participate in service work.