Sunday, September 13, 2009

Fellowship...

I just returned from a weekend conference in Gillette, WY (about 7 hours away).

After our state convention last week, you'd think (I'd think!) that I could have found something better to do. There were, in fact, lots of other things to do around here but, well, I made the trip to Gillette.

I am amazed at how deep and quick my prejudices lie.

Being from Colorado, I'm well aware of how AA meetings go in sparsely populated parts of the country. Fellowship grows in importance and (what my prejudiced perspectives would term) the important spiritual transformation is watered down.

So, imagine my shock and surprise when, at this conference of ~150 people gathered from all over Wyoming, South Dakota and Montana (virtually no one there from a place with population >15,000 people), they could/would "school me" on the importance of and process of working the 12 steps, the importance of practicing the 12 traditions in all our lives, and the appreciations of our 12 concepts.

In short, teach me how to practice these principles in all our affairs...

Maybe this program is not in as bad of shape as I've sometimes thought - we might just need to empty out our cities...

But, I guess that's just another prejudice...

3 comments:

Scott W said...

God as expressed in group conscience should keep things going. No?

steveroni said...

During my recent trip I found also the truth that AA is alive and well; thAT Steps, traditions, and concepts are being taught, learned, esteemed, and practiced all over the place.

Mary Christine said...

Interesting. I have the same prejudice about small town AA.