The wife of AA member Cliff R. who also spoke at this event, she shared that she heard a misread of the Al-Anon 11th Tradition,
"We need to guard with special care the 'animosity' of all AA members.'
She says, "I am 70-ish and I am all out of ish's."
The first time she met Cliff he was really drunk, standing on a back porch smashing glasses and using four-letter words. She cannot claim that she did not know he was alcoholic. Her mother was a periodic drinker. She felt she could help him because she helped 'fix' her mother.
She grew up very poor during the depression in a small town outside San Francisco. "I grew up in an era where you keep secrets."
Her dad was a 32nd degree Mason. She learned from him about sharing and being of service.
This has served her well in Al-anon.
Hear Cliff's talk at this same event:
(1 hr 12 min) (25 MB) (id#1625)