To those of you who left A.A. ...

... or at least left a particular A.A. group... for whatever reason.

Is there a right/wrong way to do it?

I'm called to approach the person who is leaving our group... or A.A. in general... and at least ask why.  But more importantly... I'm called to offer them a piece of advice.  Don't just leave the group... or leave the program... and go nowhere.  Land somewhere.  Have a plan of what you will do instead.

If you've done this, what would you say about this advice?  If you agree with it, what is that other "thing" you aimed toward or went after?

If you were to chair an A.A. meeting tonight, what would your topic be?

Maybe recite or recall a current and relevant passage out of the 164, state your current experience with it and/or the step it entails and share your current esh (experience strength and hope).

A Good A.A. Group

Went to my Monday Night tonight.  Good meeting.  We had a guy from out of town and one of his protege's.

He liked our meeting format and seemed to really like our crossfire.

He travels a lot.  He said he'd been to many meetings in the DC area.  I asked him after the meeting about where he lived in the Beltway area.  He then told me that he travels a lot to there.  He lives in Lakewood near Denver not far from where I once lived.  I then asked him if he attended a certain meeting or group in the area.  He named off his group and I recognized it as the best meeting in the club and the only step-doing meeting in the whole place.

I asked if so-and-so was still around.  He said, yeah... in fact she runs the club too. 

I was happy to hear this.  Good things happen to good groups who do good things sometimes.  Hope the same is true for our little group.

Autonomy

4.With respect to its own affairs, each A.A. group should be responsible to no other authority than its own conscience. But when its plans concern the welfare of neighboring groups also, those groups ought to be consulted. And no group, regional committee, or individual should ever take any action that might greatly affect A.A. as a whole without conferring with the trustees of the General Service Board. On such issues our common welfare is paramount.

This was our topic tonight and we got a pretty good meeting out of it.  We talked about how the individual is a very unique person, as is any given group.  A group ought to have a solid group conscience built up on what the group needs... as well it ought to stand for something and really aim to get somewhere.  Our aim is an improved life and doing well, aka having a life worth living and keeping ourselves from getting blocked from the Power of God in our lives.

We, unlike some who consider A.A. to be anarchy, consider A.A. to be an autocracy where that ruling Power is a loving God expressed in our group conscience.

We do things different than any other group in the world... as we should.  We are vaguely similar to a big group from Denver of which some of us once attended.  A group that splintered off from us is like us in some ways... much better than us at many things... but different.  We 12-step differently.  We do steps differently.  in numbers, fellowship, etc., they are far superior to us.  But when it comes to simplicity and focusing on the steps and personal growth, I like our little group.  We even refer new people to "their" group.  I don't think they reciprocate.  But, that's ok.  We ain't a popularity contest.  I think both groups do good things. 

There are many groups in our town that I absolutely disagree with... but I still like the people and wish them well.

My current definition of "autonomy" as it was expressed in our meeting topic tonight/last night is this; self governing without coercion.