I'm going to chair a meeting tonight at the meeting I've been going to this entire year, where they require you to have a year sobriety to do it. It's a very very large meeting, and people take it pretty seriously, coming up with things ahead of time to talk about etc. I've chaired lots and lots of meetings, but they are always meetings where you just show up and someone grabs the book and you wing it.
So tonight, I feel like since it will be my first time, and people have seen me around for a year, but not heard me share very often, I should share a bit about myself and what my sobriety means to me - it's a topic meeting - so maybe I should just pick a topic other than me me me - and share a little on that... or what do you think?
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Thanks for everything. Peace and Love on your journey.
1st of all Tasha, ... thank you for being of service to those in your group ...
Here, when we chair a meeting, the chair person usually asks someone to be 'discussion leader' unless they feel compelled to lead the discussion themselves ... When I chair and have an issue or topic I wish to hear from others on, I do the dual, chair/discussion-leader bit myself as most others wind up doing ...
If you're searching for a topic, you posted a 'Today's Gift' recently that I have copied and am going to use as a topic soon ... ... ... you may wish to use it for this purpose as well ... I will read it 1st, then give my comments on what this means to me, then open the floor for discussion ... Here's a copy of it:
Recognizing Choices
We have choices, more choices than we let ourselves see.
We may feel trapped in our relationships, our jobs, our life. We may feel locked into behaviors such as caretaking or controlling.
Feeling trapped is a symptom of codependency. When we hear ourselves say, I have to take care of this person . . . I have to say yes . . . I have to try to control that person . . . I have to behave this way, think this way, feel this way . . . we can know we are choosing not to see choices.
That sense of being trapped is an illusion. We are not controlled by circumstances, our past, the expectations of others, or our unhealthy expectations for ourselves. We can choose what feels right for us, without guilt. We have options.
Recovery is not about behaving perfectly or according to anyone else's rules. More than anything else, recovery is about knowing we have choices and giving ourselves the freedom to choose.
Today, I will open my thinking and myself to the choices available to me. I will make choices that are good for me.
I think this would make a swell topic of discussion ... Good Luck, I know you'll do a great job ... wish I was there for you ... ... ...
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'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
Thanks - It is on the type where you hand off the topic, the chair person starts the discussion, and it is taken more seriously than any other meetings I've ever been to. Typically, the person talks for a longer while than usual.
Too back I have a case of the f*** it's today : ( That wouldn't make a very good topic lol
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Thanks for everything. Peace and Love on your journey.
LOL ... ... ... I know exactly how that feels ... ... ... Chocolate helps though ... that and a good song on the radio ... :)
I recently heard the Michael Jackson ... "The Man in the Mirror" ... ... ... I used THAT as topic one time, great results, most of the lyrics are really 'down our alley' if you know what I mean ... ... ... look it up on youtube ... select one with the lyrics ...
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'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
Glad it went well. And congrats on becoming a chairperson!
It sounds like a similar format to my homegroup, the chairperson brings a topic for the open discussion and also picks a person to lead a separate beginners meeting.
I've noticed that well organized meetings where people take their responsibilities seriously tend to be larger because people like them better and they seem to stay more focused on the solution. New people take their responsibility seriously because they see that attitude from others....it becomes infectious.
Good reminder for us all!
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Rob
"There ain't no Coupe DeVille hiding in the bottom of a Cracker Jack Box."
Thanks all - no not the same meeting, I haven't been able to fit that one back in my schedule, so I suppose that was a good thing that they didn't allow to sign up, I would have had to cancel anyway - who knew? God perhaps?
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Thanks for everything. Peace and Love on your journey.
