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Serenity - What Is It VOLUME 8, ISSUE 8 AUGUST 2013 FOCUS: SERENITY - WHAT IS IT... GETTING IT... KEEPING IT... Those are great questions for which frequently, when walking the dog, or I have no concrete answers. From being by the ocean, I experience a my window I see serenity very much power greater than myself, for sure. Intergroup Central Office like happiness, as a by-product. Nature, being still, experiencing the 274 East Hamilton Ave. Happiness, I’ve been taught, is a moment, is where God resides. My Suite D by-product of right living and also experience of that feeling, which is Campbell, CA 95008 a by-product of the effort to make difficult to articulate, is a deep sense someone else happy. Pursuing happi- of peace, safety, grace, God. Then it’s ness got me right through the doors gone. P: 408.374.8511 of Alcoholics Anonymous. F: 408.371.8557 I once heard a speaker on a tape Serenity is not something I can chase say (paraphrased) that serenity or will-to-be mine. When I sit down passed through his brain faster than email: [email protected] to meditate with the intent of grab- a woman could sail a credit card bing some serenity, it’s as elusive as through Macy’s. Yeah, sorta like that. www.aasanjose.org a feral cat. I experience glimpses of However, with practice at staying in serenity, throughout the day, as I do the moment, breathing in and out, IN THIS ISSUE glimpses of God. Maybe not every right foot, left foot, prayer, meditation Featured Article...2-3 day, but most days. For me, the two -- and most of all, staying sober -- all Monthly Topic are very much interconnected. things are possible. I look forward to Articles ...4, 5, 7, 8 seeing you as we trudge the road to Editor’s Bag...6 I generally experience serenity when happy destiny. I take my lunch out into the back Obituaries...8 yard and just sit and enjoy. Also, Anonymous. Archives...9 Calendar...10-11 Monthly Topics Meeting Changes...12 Birthdays...13 Here’s lookin’ at you!! Happy August, all you Leo and Virgo friends. This is the month for Family Fun, Golf, Romance Awareness (ahem!) and National Picnics. Intergroup Minutes...16-17 How about “Admit You’re Happy” or National Catfish, Eye Exam, Peach, or Water Financials....18-19 Quality Month? There’s more, like National Ice Cream Sandwich Day (2nd), U.S. Group Contributions...19-20 Coast Guard Day (4th), Son & Daughter Day (11th), Aviation Day (19th), Tooth Fairy Day (22nd), Women’s Equality Day (26th), and National Trail Mix Day on the 31st. Plenty more where that info came from. See www.holidayinsights.com. THIS MONTH’S ACTIVITIES This month’s featured meeting is the Cambrian Group which meets at St. Local Events...10 Timothy’s Church on Carter Avenue in San Jose on Saturday nights at 8:15. See Events around California...10 story on pages 2-3. Events around the Country...10 This month’s topic is Serenity – Getting It, Keeping It. Stories begin on this page and continue on Pages 4-5. Next month’s topic is Overcoming Obstacles, and the deadline is 8/21/13. Of course the Tradition for the 9th month of the year is AA is never being orga- nized…I’ll bet some people are really glad we are such a loosey-goosey bunch. Write about it! We’d love to hear from you. Send your stories to ODAATCOIN@ yahoo.com or [email protected]. Thank you so much for your stories. COIN | 1 VOLUME 8, ISSUE 8 FEATURE: CAMBRIAN SATURDAY NIGHT GROUP Cambrian Saturday Night Group first secretary. The meeting moved Every Saturday is Chip Night! Come meets at 8:15, giving out weekly to St. Edwards on Union Avenue in join us! chips. Location: St. Timothy’s 1966, and then to St Christopher’s on Lutheran Church, 5151 Carter Avenue, Booksin Avenue in 1977. On March San Jose. 10th, 2001, the meeting moved to St. Timothy’s on Carter Avenue, and has This meeting, one of the oldest in been in this location ever since. the Santa Clara Valley, has been in existence for 57 years. The format is The meeting is comprised of a topic discussion, with the speaker number of old-timers, and although allowed only ten minutes to share his we have lost many over the years, a or her experience, strength and hope, number of long-time couples (Jerry in order to allow those getting chips (Gus) & Lynn G. , Al McC.and his to share in this hour-long meeting. wife, Lee S., Jim L., Rob & Caprice, Due to the size of the meeting and Julie & Bob S., Rob & Lois, Judith & the acoustics of the room, there is a Lee N., Laura & Chuck C., Dan & Kate microphone and a podium to make H.) and regular singles attend this sure that everyone can hear the meeting. The fellowship is made up of speakers. a wide variety of young people, and since chips are a great feature of the The first meeting was on September meeting, they appeal to newly-sober 15, 1956 at the First Methodist members. At the front of the meeting Church on Wyrick Avenue. Tal A. is a huge board with the twelve steps from Minnesota started the meeting, and twelve traditions on it. with the help of others, and was the COIN | 2 AUGUST 2013 THE TOOLS FOR TRYING TIMES The morning of Tuesday February 6th Cleaning out his room was the didn’t even know how much I had to started out like many I have had in hardest thing I’ve ever done. Mike be grateful for. My sponsor modeled over eight years of sobriety. I work and I knew everything there. An it to me for years before I got it. nights and weekends, but I get up to Honor Roll certificate From Long help my daughter get ready for school Beach State was something we were The same tools of honesty and grati- by 7:00 a.m., run, shower and check all proud of. We found evidence of tude have made our smaller family email. Then our life changed. We got steroid and prescription drugs. We stronger and closer. I tend to close a call from the Los Angeles coroner also found a shirt from the jail he down when forced to bear strong to say our beautiful son, Aaron, was spent the night in last September, emotion. Alcohol was the tool that found dead in his room from an accused of drug sales. His lawyer said kept me alone, without feelings. If accidental heroin overdose. It was his he would beat the charge with com- my family could have stayed together second try. munity service and maybe NA meet- this long in my alcoholism, and really ings. I wish he’d gone to the meet- I doubt it, this would have broken us The first thing I did was get in touch ings. Faster justice may have saved my apart. My beautiful daughter was fin- with my sponsor. I knew staying close son’s life. ishing up high school and planning to to the program was necessary for my go to college back east. We were able own survival. Canceling my students Back home, asking for help and to support her decision to continue on and getting to Long Beach was the accepting support kept us going. I and graduate with many honors. We next right thing. My daughter came went to as many meetings as I could, are so proud of her. home and I think we all just cried. My keeping up a reduced work schedule. husband and I went to Long Beach Friends in the program helped me My husband and I are looking at our the next morning to try to make sense spiritually, too. My spiritual condi- 25th anniversary as empty nesters. of it. Even in the horror of it all, I was tion is no longer something I take for Most of our relationship has been able to use the tools of the program granted. It is amazing how much food helped along with my program. He to help me and my family through the for thought planning a service has has been strong, but he would not next few days. given me. It is exhausting to grieve have been strong enough for both of but I am grateful to be given the us. No one could. My son’s roommate was honest about strength to endure it all. the events leading up to finding We have tried grief groups, but I Aaron dead in his room. He knew I have alcoholism and depression in have found more solace from my AA Aaron was trying heroin and stayed my family. Before I quit drinking I meetings. I see many young men and away to avoid temptation. That may had been prescribed antidepressants. women who have had similar prob- have saved his life. He was thinking Not using alcohol has been a big help. lems find solutions. I keep in touch about rehab, pills I guess. I told him So has regular exercise. I have great with my son’s room mate because I about my program and encouraged respect for depression and am willing have heard stories of people not sure him to try NA. Maybe this experience to take a prescribed medication if it about rehab finding their way with a could save him. I don’t think Aaron seems necessary. In the meantime I little outreach.
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