The grief I felt at the thought of losing my third marriage to the family disease of alcoholism was overwhelming. Without feeling that grief, I would have never reached out for help. A friend of mine, who was an Al-Anon member, practiced the Twelfth Step with me.

What a welcome relief! There was hope and I could finally put a name to what had been so wrong in my life for 35 years. I felt as though my friend had thrown me a life preserver.

The last 20 years in Al-Anon have been full of awareness—sometimes painful and sometimes not. The changes I have gone through because of the Al-Anon program give me joy. The Twelve Steps, Traditions, and Concepts of Service have been a huge part of my recovery.

The gift of service has helped me restore the self-esteem I lost due to living with alcoholism. Through service work I have learned how to have healthy relationships with people. I have learned how to communicate, to agree to disagree, and most of all, how to use these tools in my home.

The loss of my third marriage didn’t happen. Shortly after I found Al-Anon, my husband found sobriety and Alcoholics Anonymous. Our lives changed drastically—we’re not the same two people. Thank you, God!

By Peggy F., Oregon
The Forum, July 2004

Reprinted with Permission of The Forum, Al-Anon Family Group Hdqts, Inc., Virginia Beach, VA.