I was in a meeting the other night. The topic was the Daily Reflections from February 21 titled “I’m Part Of The Whole.”

The reflection talks about “they” and “them.” Meaning the people we meet in an AA meeting. Most of us agree we did not want to be a part of “them.”

I shared, I did not want to meet any of “them”, be friends with any of “them” or sit in a circle with any of “them.”

Come to find out, I was not alone in this way of thinking. People tend to stereotype alcoholics as the bum lying in an alley or someone sitting on the same bar stool every night.

I found out early on after attending one of my first in person meetings that this is not the case. I looked around at the numerous people surrounding me. I also noticed they were of all ages, races and types of people. They were not all bums or even old men sitting in a circle. In fact, I was quite sure I must have shopped with many of them at the local Wal-Mart.

I learned some have small children, others grandchildren. There are teachers, nurses and clergy men. Alcoholism is not partial. It will take anyone. It will kill anyone.

AA is a WE program. Each one helps the other to stay sober. In doing so we become part of a whole.

A circle is continuous. It is whole. WE are the circle.

At once, I became a part – if only a tiny part – of a cosmos…

-AS BILL SEES IT, p. 225