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One Day at a Time in Al-Anon:

We sometimes forget what a painful experience it was to come to our first Al-Anon meeting. Remember the whirling thoughts, the fears, the uncertainty? Uneasy questions came crowding into our minds: “Is it the right thing to do?” – “What will he say if he finds out?” — “Am I disgracing my family by admitting that husband and father drinks too much?” — “What if somebody tells I was there?”

Then we were reassured to discover that Al-Anon has a protective cloak of anonymity for us. Every member understands that no word of the proceedings must ever go beyond the meeting room, and especially that no names should ever be mentioned.

Today’s Reminder:

The newcomer to Al-Anon immediately feels comforted and safe when she learns that she can talk freely without fear of having anything repeated. We owe her this assurance. We are committed to it by our own Traditions, as well as by our personal need for protection against careless gossip.

I will remind myself daily that I must guard against revealing anything concerning Al-Anon or an AA member.

“Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles above personalities.”
— Twelfth Tradition

From the book “One Day at a Time in Al-Anon”. © Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc. 1973