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(#1137) Helen Y (Avon Lake, OH)
5/22/1988 in Bellaire, MI  EVENT: 16th Michigan Al-Anon/Alateen Conference  TYPE: Al-Anon, Female, Story

Helen, with 18 years, in Al-Anon was the Sunday morning spiritual speaker at this event.

Her focus is on her story and the 11th step.

It is ironic she is the speaker for in the first year in Al-Anon she was too afraid to speak other than when called upon.

The oldest of four from Knoxville, TN, she was the responsible one. She won a scholarship to parochial high school. Her brains were to get in her way many times. She became a perfectionist.

Her mother and father had a violent verbal argument when she was 13 that effectively ended the marriage though divorce occurred 18 years later.

Instead of art college, she helped her father start a new business the year she graduated high school. She poured her soul into it.

She married her alcoholic at age 25. The first 9 years were fairly normal though Bill drank regularly. She made Bill the source of her happiness.

They could not have children. He started hiding bottles. She thought he drank because of his past. If she could figure it out he could control his drinking.

Bill came into AA for a time but drank again. When his health started failing he quit and Helen experienced the DT's with him.

Though she reads much of her story, it is interesting and thoughtful and often funny.


(1 hr 4 min) (14.8 MB) (id#1137)