Questioning the norm

What happens when AA meetings begin to lose their luster?

When a member begins to question the "norm" in AA?

Not so much the process itself (the step work, prayer, meditation, carrying the message), but the series of rituals that have become our meetings?

What happens when this process begins to set in and the member finds more and more reasons to avoid the actual meetings, but tries hard to stay current on the other things (see above)?

What happens when slogans become platitudes, and ritual becomes dogma?

Does the member require help? Do we smirk at their folly? Distance ourselves and treat them as lepers? Is there a way to help them?

I would love to hear some suggestions or comments

Return Good For Evil

For a bowl of water give a goodly meal:
For a kindly greeting bow thou down with zeal:
For a simple penny pay thou back with gold:
If thy life be rescued, life do not withhold.

Thus the words and actions of the wise regard;
Every little service tenfold they reward.
But the truly noble know all men as one,
and return with gladness good for evil done.

Today I turn 60

Today I turn 60 years old. A good time for feeling old, a failure  -- after all, I did drink myself out of a good career and any possibility of material success.

But 4005 days ago I collapsed from alcohol induced heart failure and was pretty much expected to die.  That was my bottom after 25 - 30 years of daily blackout drinking and the beginning of my new, sober life.  So, at the very least I should celebrate the fact that I'm still here, 4005 days past my sell-by date.  Beyond that, recovery and the life it has given me make me actually happy that I'm still here.  I am a happier, nicer, even wiser person than I was when I was drinking.  As I heard someone say, I was young once and I wasn't very good at it.  I'm pretty good at being post-young and when I decide I'm actually old my bet is that I'll be good at that, too

So, today is a day of celebration.

Got a job and some lessons in humility

I have been absent from this blog for a couple of weeks because after a year of unemployment I have finally found work.  It feels wonderful, but does come with some challenges.

The big issue is that old problem:humility. I am on staff "term of project" (i.e. a temp) and therefore pretty much ignored. It's good training but it takes some real getting used to. Bottom line: I have some real work to do