The phrase “A Host of Friends” tells me I have a tribe. When I first arrived in AA almost 23 years ago, I found something I had always been looking for, my tribe, a place where I fit in, like-minded individuals, people who understood me, and accepted me with all my assets and flaws. In AA I found a sense of belonging and mutual purpose; to stay sober no matter what.
Moving to the PNW after 2 ½ years of sobriety, I was introduced to my first Area 72 Assembly by an individual (now my service sponsor) in 2005. That experience was unlike anything I had ever had, the comradery of 700 people gathering together to do what is best for Alcoholics Anonymous in Western Washington is an experience I have yet to forget. It is what keeps me here, involved in service, curious about what is next. I have never stopped being ‘a part of’.
In continuing to be of service, being excited about AA, I hope that my involvement in some way looks attractive to others and encourages others to be curious and want to jump into service. We build trust and rapport, share values and goals, and create friendships and community that are loving, supportive, and collaborative; ‘we are never alone’.
