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Heard at a meeting
A smooth sea never made a good sailor.
* * * She gave her almost!
* * *
Gratitude is the hinge upon which a serene life swings.
If I'm truly grateful for today's serenity, then
I'm making a down payment on tomorrow's.
* * * When you smile, your brain thinks you're happy!
* * * My relationship isn't my problem and it isn't my solution.
* * * Some folks think God sets up the chairs and cleans up after the meeting.
If you feel like taking something to make you feel better, try taking the STEPS.
* * *
Gossip runs down more people than automobiles.
* * *
People who fly into a rage usually have a bad landing.
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Dear Al-Anon or Alateen Member,
Welcome to the District 14 Al-Anon/Alateen Monthly Newsletter. This newsletter is created and distributed by Al-Anon members. Any member of Al-Anon or Alateen is welcome to contribute to this newsletter.
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Recovery In Our Own Words
I see little difference between a war in a foreign country and the war on addiction.
Because in many ways I am only an observer of an adult child with addiction issues despite the endless tools and support I have provided. Apparently those items are stored away in a remote location. So why do I continue to limp into Al-Anon meetings? It is not that the common experiences make our lives normal but that the shared experiences reduces my fears knowing others have faced the same behaviors and how unprepared we were to handle it. Dragging myself to meeting after meeting it comforts me that I am not an isolated case. The time I least want to drive here are the times I need it the most. Here is my short list of behaviors and/or reactions I have dealt with. I've been embarrassed, scared, sad, confused, stunned, and bewildered. I have been subjected to verbal assaults, threaten with violence, spit on, and had belongings trashed. The police have been at my house numerous times, my qualifier has been kicked out of the house onto the streets. Much of this occurred after numerous forms of long term rehabs and therapists. So why do I continue to participate in Al-Anon meetings? I shared once that my qualifier was a cutter - 3 others shared that their qualifier was a cutter. Somebody said they had to repair a hole in their hallway after their qualifier punched it - 5 others shared they too had to repair their walls. A story of a late night trip to 7-11 to save their child results in a soft laugh as other Al-Anon members share their 7-11 stories. I write in my journal the following: "I feel like a yoyo. A mommy yoyo. Up one moment, down the next, then jerked back up and thrown back down. So why do I come to Al-Anon? I come to a place I wish I wasn't but I share similar experiences hence I am not alone. Here I am not judged but held with respect that I am doing the best I can on my journey - a journey with friends. So as we experience different levels of success. Success determined by each individual person sitting here tonight. I come for permission to know that I am allowed to take care of me. I come so I can spend time with my sisters and laugh. I come so I can still experience joy. I come so my marriage won't take the rage in my soul. I come to be encouraged or to get sympathy. I come to learn that I have provided my best for this child but I am not in control of her choices. She has to make her choices for her life. And the same is true for me and my husband. We have to make our choices for our life and we want to be happy again. And yes, there is always a piece of me that will worry about the kid but I cannot continue to let that dominate my life because it really did turn me into an angry resentful women. So I purposefully work the 12 steps and purposefully walk with God and hope and pray for the best. Submitted by Leslie. Please send submissions to: Linda W district14newsletter@yahoo.com
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District 14 and Beyond News  The District 14 Monthly Meeting is held the 1st Wednesday of each month from 7:30 -9:00 in the Lesher Auditorium at the John Muir Medical Center, Concord Campus, 2540 East Street, Concord. Preceded by Concept discussion at 7:00 pm. ALL are welcome. 
Items of Interest from December 5, 2012 District 14 Meeting HOLIDAY MEETINGS: The Monday night 7 pm Alamo Creekside Book Study will NOT meet 12/24/2012 but WILL meet 12/31/12. The Tuesday night 7:30 pm Lafayette meeting will NOT meet 12/25/12 or 1/1/13. There may be other meeting closures on the holidays. Please try to check with someone else who attends. If you know of other closures, please notify Carla G. at 925-586-8021 so that she can inform others. -
 Going to Vancouver. A drawing with entries from all who have attended our District 14 monthly meeting was made and FOUR names were drawn to attend the International Convention in Vancouver next summer (see Event Section for details). Four alternates were also drawn if any of the first four cannot attend.
- District 14 has been chosen to host next year's NCWSA 3-Day Assembly on October 25-27, 2013. Sue has graciously offered to be chair for the event but we will need many dedicated volunteers to make this happen. Details will be forthcoming.
- Annual District Budget Planning meeting on Saturday, January 19th, 2013, is open to all Al-Anon members. At the home of our treasurer, LInda G., 9951 Broadmoor Dr., San Ramon. Call 925-556-6124 for details.
- Monthly Speaker Meetings. For openings for host groups. please contact Sandy H. at 925-642-9909 to volunteer your group. Remember, smaller groups can join forces to host a meeting together, and there are very detailed guidelines with timelines included to guide you through the process if this is new to your group. Seven meetings OPEN for 2013.
- New Reimbursement Form for District Expenses now available on the website or here.
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 Literature Depot Reminder: The literature depot can always use gently recycled brown grocery bags...or if anyone can ask for a donation of these from an establishment they frequent that would be great. They can be dropped off in the literature pick up box! - The new Legacies work book is due out by July 2013. This book is being created by blogs from the WSO website.
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The new Intimacy book has 525 submissions. As many as 1200 are needed to create the right balance of shares. Groups and districts are encouraged to hold writing workshops to get our members writing!
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 A trial for the first planned electronic book, 'Having Had a Spiritual Awakening', will happen sometime in 2013. To get into practice for electronic reading, be sure to read the "The Forum's' 3 monthly articles already being published online (and always included as the last article in this newsletter!). -
Any groups having trouble coming up with a basket theme? How about an Al-Anon literature basket! These are lovely silent auction and basket prizes! Throw in a journal and a nice pen and you are really giving the gift of recovery to a member or friend of our fellowship:)
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Contact Wynne for Literature Depot Questions.
- Group Donations to the District. Please send group donations to: District 14 AFG, P.O. Box 416, Concord, CA 94522-0416. DO NOT FORGET to label your donation with you Group Name, Meeting Day and Time, and AFG number.
- NCWSA has new P.O. Box for donations. The new address is: NCWSA Treasurer, P.O. Box 728, Vacaville, CA 95696-0728. Donation form A-25 is available on the NCWSA website.
- Twelve-Stepper, Area Newsletter for GRs. Now available online. Will ONLY be available online starting in December. Available at: www.ncwsa.org/newsletters
 Hotline Volunteers. Al-Anon Hotline still has gaps in the schedule that need to be filled. You can volunteer for any day, any period of time. Call Paula M. at 925-513-1770.
 Day In Al-Anon 2013 - Next Planning Meeting January 13th
Time: 1:30 pm Location: 5269 Mohican Way, Antioch Only 2 planning meetings remain--January 13, and January 27) Day in Al-Anon will be February 2, 2013 at Hope Center from 8 am to 6 pm Need for Coordinator(s) for BREAKFAST and/or LUNCH. Contact DIA Coordinator John H. 505-259-1232 or Co-Chairs Rick P. 925-577-9902 or Marcie 925-639-9119 |
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Service Corner
Open District Coordinator Positions
- Archives Coordinator
- Alternates for Telephone Hotline, Website, Lending Library, and Public Outreach
- Possible opening for Institutions Coordinator
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Bienvenidos a Al-Anon y Alateen
Como localizar una reunion
¡Imaginese en Vancouver!
Los Congresos Internacionales de Al-Anon son una grandiosa manera de celebrar la recuperación, encontrarse con viejos amigos y hacer nuevas amistades. Un Congreso Internacional es donde los miembros del Canadá, de los EE.UU. y de muchos otros países se reúnen para hablar el mismo idioma -el idioma del corazón-.
- ¿Se puede imaginar lo que es escuchar a más de 4.500 asistentes
-de Al-Anon, de Alateen y de A.A. e invitados- rezar la Oración de la Serenidad? - ¿Alguna vez ha visto el desfile de los países en que existen Grupos de Familia Al-Anon?
 Bienvenido al sitio web de Al-anon Familia Grupos para el Distrito 14 del norte de California del Servicio Mundial de la zona. Este sitio es creado y operado por el Distrito 14 miembros de Al-anon. Distrito 14 de límites se puede definir mejor el lugar de las reuniones que figuran en nuestra , y por lo general abarca las comunidades del condado de oriental y central Contra Costa.
El sitio web esta¡ organizado en torno a los Tres Legados de Al-Anon
Al-Anon se enfrenta al alcoholismo 2013 |
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Institutions Corner
 Freedom from the prison of my mind...
Eight men from Yard 'D' Level II at CSP Solano have been on a waiting list to get into Al-Anon for more than two years
Tuesday night, Thursday night, and
Sunday morning Al-Anon meetings at
CSP Solano (in Vacaville)
WAITING for Volunteers (Men) like You.
Please contact Teresa T. at 707-428-6731
hicks.s5@comcast.net
ATTENTION GRs:
Please replace the cover on the PINK Al- Anon Institutions Donation Can for your group. The new cover has the correct information for donations. Obtain the new cover at the next District Meeting or call Mary A. at 925-914-9101.
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Alateen Corner
To become a sponsor: Contact Alt. Alateen Coordinator Marilyn G. at 925-759-1452. Applications are also available to become an Alateen Sponsor through Kristine B., District 14 Alateen Safety Coordinator at 925-407-6053.
As a six-year-old, I didn't see the problems that my family faced. The world was big and full of wonder in the eyes of a curious little boy, but having alcoholic parents made my world a lot smaller. I couldn't put into words how scared I was. Read more...
 THE ALATEEN EXPRESS - Newsletter for Alateens in Northern CAThe ALATEEN EXPRESS is the official newsletter for Alateen groups of the Northern California World Service Area of AFG, Inc, and is distributed periodically to Alateen groups. It contains information about Alateen that may be helpful to Al-Anon and Alateen groups. All members of Alateen and their sponsors are urged to contribute information about group news, fund-raisers and other special events. Selected articles are presented on this web site and sorted by topic. Articles from members present their personal views and experiences. Opinions expressed are not to be attributed to Al-Anon or Alateen as a whole. |
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Upcoming Events
 District 14 Speaker Meeting - December 22, 2012 ~6:30 pm - Guest Speaker: Nino from San Jose What: Refreshments, Birthday Chips, Donation Drawing, Literature, Tape Library, Meeting recorded. Hosted By: 8 pm Wed "Easy Does It" Pleasant Hill PLEASE HELP OUT: Bring Food and Donations for Drawing Where: Walnut Creek Kaiser, 1515 Newell Ave., Medical Office Bldg., Oak Room, 3rd Floor. Exit 680 S. Main St. or Olympic Blvd. Directions and Flyer  Al-Anon's International Convention July 5-7, 2013
Picture yourself in Vancouver!
Al-Anon International Conventions are a great way to celebrate recovery, meet old friends, and make new ones. An International Convention is where members from Canada, the U.S., and many other countries gather together to speak the same language-the language of the heart.
- Can you imagine what it sounds like to hear more than 4,500 attendees-
Al-Anon, Alateen, A.A., and guests-say the Serenity Prayer?
- Have you ever seen the parade of countries that have Al-Anon Family Groups?
For Complete Listing of Area Events and Flyers: NCWSA Events
OUR NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS:
Al-Anon Family Group District 16 (to the south, Dublin-Pleaston-Livermore) is having its open Speaker Meetings on the 2nd Saturday of every month. District 6 (to the north, Solano and beyond) has its Birthday-Speaker Meeting on Last Friday each month 7:00 p.m. - 8:15 p.m. at Kaiser Hospital (3rd floor Rooms C & D), Vaca-Valley Parkway Vacaville Ca. 95678 (Leisure Town road exit off of Highway 80 Vacaville) District 26 (to the west, Berkeley-Richmond) has its Monthly Speaker Meeting on the first Saturday of every month, 6:30-8 p.m., at Kaiser Permanente Richmond Medical Center Building C, 3rd floor, Conference Room F
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Reflections from the Forum
Past Reflections
Before Al-Anon, we had a lot of beef stew at our house: I did the beefing and my spouse did the stewing. Sept. 1978, Eledia S., Columbia, MO
Al-Anon's monthly magazine, The Forum, contains many personal stories of inspiration. Click on this link to subscribe to receive your own monthly "Meeting in Your Pocket." Only $11.00 a year.
Current Forum articles:
I can see clearly now...
There was a lunar eclipse this cold Saturday morning and I got up at 6 a.m. to see it. I got out of my warm bed, went to the window, and opened the shade. I was disappointed in what I saw: a barely visible, blurry blob of white with a gray smudge and a little red tint on the bottom. Maybe it was just a streetlight in the fog, maybe it was too overcast, or maybe I had forgotten that I am nearly blind without my glasses.
My sponsor's unconditional love was the turning point...
When I first started working the Steps with my Sponsor, I was scared to death-scared to death to share the secrets of the disease that I had carried with me, some that I had had since childhood. It wasn't until we got to Step Five that my new self-awareness started to become comfortable.
So much depends upon my attitude and learning to put my problems into their true perspective.
When I first came to Al-Anon, my attitude was that of a victim. I didn't want anyone to know about my insane life, yet I wanted sympathy. I expected them to be able to give it to me without them knowing why I needed it.
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Contribute to this Newsletter
A few words from your share at a recent meeting, a thought you had while reading conference approved literature, your take on one of the Steps or Traditions. Any tidbit is welcome as long as you remember that we speak Al-Anon here, leaving other therapies and programs outside. Send your contribution to the Newsletter by email with "Contribution" in the subject line.
Submissions may be edited for length and grammar and will published at the discretion of the editors when space permits. Authors will be notified of changes to their submissions.
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Archives of Past Newsletters
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Sincerely,
Co-Editors: Karen, District 14 Newsletter Coordinator
Linda W, Alternate District 14 Newsletter Coordinator
Contact the Editors: district14newsletter@yahoo.com |
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