Happy Birthday to ME!

Two years ago, I walked into my first Al-Anon meeting.

The night before, I had returned from my last "rescue." My daughter had found her way into the rooms of a different fellowship and recognized that her life had become unmanageable.

I spent a week taking her to different meetings. People would ask me if I was the mother. They would ask me if I was in recovery.

"Oh, no," I'd say. "I'm just here to support my daughter."

I was horrified to think they would think I needed recovery. I didn't think I had anything to recover from. I wasn't the one with the problem.

They smiled and nodded. They were very kind.

But I wanted what they had.

I remember feeling a little scared the first meeting I attended with my daughter. I watched these people file into the room. They looked hard and life worn to me. But the most amazing things came out of their mouths. I could hardly wait to go to the next meeting.

It was my daughter's sponsor who gently suggested that I try Al-Anon.

"You won't have to attend your daughter's meetings," she said. "You can work your own program."

I got off the plane and downloaded a meeting list. The next day I attended my first meeting. I still attend that meeting. It's one of my committed meetings and the one at which I will celebrate my birthday later this month.

My daughter never attended another meeting on her own.

But when I visit or when she visits me, I still attend Al-Anon meetings. She always chooses to come along.

The last time she was here, she told me she thinks I'm inspiring.

Who knows? Maybe one day she'll want what I have.