Quiet Encouragement
FOR me, maintaining anonymity in the Alcoholics Anonymous Fellowship is a form of discretion. Personally, I find the easiest way to honour it is by remembering the Yellow Card: “Who you see here, What you hear here, When you leave here – Let it stay here.” This principle gives me a sense of safety and works both ways. I protect my own anonymity and ensure the same for other members through my discretion. I don’t tell everyone around me who attends meetings. I don’t share the stories I hear during speakers’ sessions.
The first members of AA adopted the principle of anonymity after many experiences. Over time, they recognised its deep spiritual value. Everyone’s identity was protected, and the Fellowship itself did not engage in promoting its activities. Instead, it attracted new members through the strength of the AA Programme itself.
Isn’t the best advertisement/encouragement for a suffering alcoholic simply to attend a meeting and see for themselves how the Fellowship works? To see people honestly talking about their problems and what keeps them from picking up a drink? Reading or hearing about the benefits of AA membership is one thing but experiencing it firsthand is entirely different.
After my first meeting, I was amazed at what Alcoholics Anonymous looked like – literally and figuratively. After a few meetings, I felt confident and courageous enough that I wanted to tell every person I met about my discovery. I wanted to shout about how wonderful our Fellowship is and how remarkable the people in it are. Thankfully, I didn’t. Doing so could have harmed both AA and me. I understood this better when I saw how many people come to meetings out of curiosity or obligation. Anonymity serves our common good. It protects those who are committed, those who have ‘slipped’, and those who have not yet received the gift of recovery, as well as their families. I don’t boast about being part of AA. I wait patiently until someone asks how I managed to stop drinking, how such wonderful changes came about in my life.
SABINA
Translated from Polish by Aleksandra, from WyspiAArze, nr 4 (71) / 2024