Each Alanon Family Group has but One Purpose; to Help Families of Alcoholics.   We do this by:

Practicing the Twelve Steps  of AA Ourselves, by Encouraging and Understanding   Our Alcoholic Relatives, and By Welcoming and Giving Comfort  to Families of Alcoholics.

Courage to Change  Page 42

Tradition Five helps us to set three  goals; to work the Steps for myself, to have compassion for alcoholics and compassion for those who come to  Al Anon.

Todays reminder

I needed love before I even knew what it was.  Now that I understand  something about it , I need it even more.  By loving myself I not only take care of my needs , but I lay a foundation  for loving others.  By Loving others I learn to trust myself well.

MY SHARE

This Tradition sums up the entire purpose of alanon and how this is accomplished.  Alanons primary aim is to help families of alcoholics.  How do we help these families is very interesting .   Since this is a fellowship of equals, with no managers or bosses, each member who wants to recover can do so by practicing the 12 Steps of AA ourselves.  Learn how to give constructive help to others, and learn how to have compassion for the alcoholic.  Showing up attending meetings, sharing, using the tools I have developed I can then share my recovery  and help and encourage others What a powerful gift this program gives to me.  Helping others while I help myself.

 How extraordinary.

Traditions 5

1.   Do I ever cop out by saying, "I'm not a group, so this or that Tradition doesn't apply to me"?

2.    

3.   Have I today imposed on any Alanon member for a special favor or consideration simply because I am a fellow member?

4.   Am I willing to twelfth-step the next newcomer without regard to who or what is in it for me?

5.   Do I help my group in every way I can to fulfill our primary purpose?

 Reaching out to others is the primary purpose of the group, and of Alanon as a whole... ...my own primary purpose is my own recovery.

In the first years of recovery i had a high focus on other people's needs. Because my own life was empty and painful. So I needed time to turn that around.

Someone once said: its a selfish programme. I disagreed with that. i decided that [for me] I did not want to be self-centred, but centred on self.

My self is a loving caring self. It is a safe self. But when I began in Alanon my life was clouded by other things.

The phrase I use often is borrowed from Tradition 11. My personal goal in the programme was to 'promote by attraction'. For people to see my growth and progress- in the way I worked the programme.

Thanks,

DavidG.

Thanks David

Your share was very insightful