August 3
The Meeting Inside the Meeting
Two members have been arguing for weeks. Their shares begin addressing each other without mentioning names. Regulars recognize the references; newer people only feel the tension. Each person believes they are defending something important. The meeting continues to follow its format, but another conversation has taken possession of the hour. Everyone else has quietly become its audience.
Personal conflict sometimes needs direct attention, and genuine concerns deserve a proper hearing. A recovery meeting cannot do its work well while being used to conduct a private dispute. Primary purpose invites us to notice who pays for our indirect arguments. Someone may have come needing to hear how another alcoholic stayed sober through a difficult day. We can seek a suitable place to address the disagreement without making the whole room carry messages intended for one person.
When I speak in a meeting, who am I really addressing?
The hour belongs to more than our disagreement.
For the A.A. nerds: Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, Traditions One and Five.