On the road to recovery in the UK
On the “road to recovery” in the UK!
Having driven most of the USA in the last 10 years on the “road to recovery” I met some great AA groups from Chicago Illinois to Tampa Florida and from Akron Ohio to Las Vegas Nevada. These experiences where somewhat traditional according to AA and it was not so for me to be found yet in the UK as I floundered for the 1st 3 years of my recovery attending meetings of alcoholics who thought they were still in a treatment centre participating in some sort of group therapy at their weekly gatherings.
However, whilst on the “road to recovery” in the UK in Bournemouth attending an AA workshop I discovered the “R2R” group in Plymouth Devon. Here I discovered a well disciplined group of people well and truly guided and grounded in the traditions of AA and the safety and security of the newcomer was clear to see.
An early set up at the 3 times weekly meetings gives pre-meeting fellowship, and a structured 1 hour speaker meeting clearly passes on the message to the newcomer and still-suffering dry alcoholic and the opportunity for service work to keep me distracted from thinking to much about myself was aplenty. Then there's the after meeting fellowship at Goodbodies café which is always a good time to speak with one another about that night's main speaker and, any other business too.
From leaving my hotel door to returning 4 hours had lapsed and it seemed like only 1 hour so I must've enjoyed it thoroughly. I have returned 5 more times since and enjoyed every single trip and the 9 hour drive back to Scotland has always been a breeze as we floated back up North on a spiritual high, time and time again. At this group you will hear high hope not emotive despair and wise experience not arrogant opinions. It's hard not to experience something different from the city where the Mayflower ship set sail from to land the Pilgrims in on the East coast of America many years ago and thus the place where it all started for Bill and Bob was the Mayflower hotel Akron OH in 1935.
The spiritual link is obvious to those of us who have awoken from our own sleep walk after many a decade using alcohol to light up our spirits. Now we use the spirit of the 12 steps of AA to light up the near dead spirit of Johnny and Jenny Newcomer as they fall in the doors of a real AA meeting like the, “ROAD TO RECOVERY” Plymouth.
Yes, be well and truly assured the “R2R” group in Plymouth England certainly have a stable and friendly bunch of ready and willing participants just chomping at the bit too, make your day when you visit from out of town as you seek on your own, “road to recovery.”
Paatrick O'S from Scotland. DOS, 05-11-2000