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Responsibility Statement
I am responsible…
When anyone, anywhere, reaches out
for help, I want the hand of A.A. always
to be there.
And for that: I am responsible.
“…We must remember that AA will continue strong only so long as each of us freely and happily gives it away to another person, only as each of us takes our fair share of responsibility for sponsorship of those who still suffer, for the growth and integrity of our Group, for our Intergroup activities, and for AA as a whole.
It is in taking responsibility that real freedom and the enduring satisfactions of life are found. AA has given us the power to choose – to drink or not to drink – and in doing so has given us the freedom to be responsible for ourselves. As we become responsible for ourselves, we are free to be responsible for our share in AA, and unless we happily accept this responsibility we lose AA. Strange, isn’t it?”
– Dr. Jack Norris
Why I attend the Missouri State Convention
After receiving the gift of sobriety in June of 1984, I attended our wonderful State Convention for the first time, the following summer in 1985, It took a couple of years before I began to attend the convention on an annual basis, but once that habit began, finding ourselves at the State Convention, is an annual rite for my wife, Robin, and me. In fact, as part of our annual planning we set aside part of our work vacation time around the convention dates. Robin is a member of Alanon and is thankful for and enjoys the Alanon participation at the convention. So just what is it that I like about the convention that keeps me coming back? There are so many reasons that come to mind but in the interest of brevity, i’ll share only my top reasons. I suppose at the top of the list is that the convention is such a celebration of sobriety and our way of life in the society of Alcoholocs Anonymous as well as the Alanon Family Groups.Just as we do in any gathering of our fellowship, ewe share our experience, strength and hope., we get to see a bigger picture of things than we do in our home groups. It is inspiring! And as one who has a good number of conventions under his belt, to me it feels, for lack of better terms, like a big family reunion, I look forward to renewing contact with folks I ‘ve senn at the convention for years. They are ‘old” family members. I also get excited about meeting new people and making new ” Program Friends”. They are the ” New” family members. Our convention and ” Old Grandad”, The Arkansas State Convention are the two oldest conventions West of the Mississippi River and folks in each state good naturedly tease about which is the oldest. It makes no difference ( even though I do believe it is us). What does matter is that by attending our convention, I’ m participating in a convention tradition that has been around a long time. In addition, we are a Three Legacy Convention, which means we always have participation in some aspect of the General Service office of the general service board . Between our convention and Old Grandad, we are the only one that can make that claim. Perhaps, one of the reasons I like to attend may seem like something that doesn’t need to be said, but I’ll say it anyway. I attend to support the convention. What if we didn’t support it? It would fade away and we would be faced with the reality of losing something special and precious. “Ohh what might have been? Finally, I have yet not to feal tears well up during the Sobriety Countdown, after the Saturday Night Banquet, when the newestt newbie stands. And I know that he/she is at their very first family reunion. I always pray to see them again.
– John H
Poplar Bluff Serenity group District 8, EAMO (Area 38)