Just read that it is on July 2-5, 2015....(what happened to this year??? Do they not have one every year?) Anyway, the one in 2015 is in Atlanta, GA. Have any of you been to one of these? Would love to hear shares if so. Is this something for mainly people who have been in the program a long time, or do you think it would benefit people with less time in AA?
Hi BTY, The international convention happens once every five years.
I attended the one in San Diego in 1995, with my sponsor and a group of friends. It filled the entire San Diego Convention Center, except for the main meetings on Saturday and Sunday which were too large for the convention center and were held at a gigantic sports stadium in San Diego. At the time, those two meetings were estimated to be the largest AA meetings ever. But I wouldn't be surprised if subsequent meetings at later conventions have been even bigger.
Try to imagine the sound of fifty thousand sober alcoholics - people who should by all rights all be dead or locked up - all saying the Serenity Prayer together......
It is an absolutely amazing experience. If you have the chance to go, I encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity.
My Home group where I moved from, designated a person to coordinate getting tickets or passes to such events when they were nearby ... ... ... (you know, like the yearly 'state' convention and other events) ... and we'd form a group to car-pool and travel together or attend in small groups ... it is a very emotional experience to go and hear the top sober speakers from across the nation ... an experience one will never forget ...
I haven't been, but would have if I had been able to swing it ... the stories of those who did go were amazing and very moving ... and the sobriety of those who went, ranged from a few months to 30+ years, just so you know ...
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'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
Hi BTY, The international convention happens once every five years.
I attended the one in San Diego in 1995, with my sponsor and a group of friends. It filled the entire San Diego Convention Center, except for the main meetings on Saturday and Sunday which were too large for the convention center and were held at a gigantic sports stadium in San Diego. At the time, those two meetings were estimated to be the largest AA meetings ever. But I wouldn't be surprised if subsequent meetings at later conventions have been even bigger.
Try to imagine the sound of fifty thousand sober alcoholics - people who should by all rights all be dead or locked up - all saying the Serenity Prayer together......
It is an absolutely amazing experience. If you have the chance to go, I encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity.
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Wow! Now, this brought tears to my eyes. After the last few days I really needed to hear this and thank you for sharing, Dave, and I will try. I read that they are going to take reservations for it in the fall of this year. They blocked 10,000 rooms for it and it sounds like people come from all over the world. I cannot imagine what a blessing it would be to hear the guest speakers. Well, it is a blessing for me to hear anyone share--whether it is on this board or in a meeting I go to. We all can learn from one another. If there is any way I can go, I will. I have an issue with crowds and the meetings I go to are no longer bother me like they did as far as that is concerned. 50,000 people though? More prayer....
-- Edited by betterthanyesterday52 on Saturday 17th of May 2014 07:59:33 AM
I will always remember a particular moment that I witnessed at that convention. We were sitting there in our seats in this gigantic stadium, a few rows behind first base, waiting for the meeting to start. All of the stadium seats were filled, and thousands more seats that were covering the field were also filled. There was a huge stage located in the outfield beyond second base. It reminded me of a big rock concert. The atmosphere was like a really great party, with music playing out of the huge sound system flanking the stage, people having their pictures taken by their friends, etc..
I looked down at the field and saw a little girl standing in the isle, about four years old, who just started happily dancing in the way that only a little kid does when they hear music that they like, completely spontaneous and free. Then an elderly woman who just happened to be walking past noticed her, laughed out loud and began to dance along with her... For a moment, I thought about what that woman's story might be, and how much her life must have changed from the moment she hit bottom to this moment now, filled with such absolute joy. There was something so powerful, so pure and simple yet so amazing about this one moment that seemed to symbolize so much about the miracles that happen in AA... I was overcome with gratitude as I looked around at the enormous crowd of people, all happy and sober and with lives that were now so different than what they had been before, all of them living the same miracle that I was witnessing in the two people dancing their dance of joy down on the field.
