My Thanksgiving at AA

Among the turkey, mashed potatoes and classic pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving dinner, there is always drama.
Yes, I said drama.
This may not seem like a foreign concept to some, and certainly not to me, but without fail every year my family gets harder and harder to be around.
It is the constant bickering about nothing, having to explain your life plan and “future” to the grandparents I see twice a year and drunken or high, embarrassing slurs in front of family friends that wears on my patience.
Oh yeah, and there are about five dogs, big and small, barking and clawing at my legs begging to be petted that also wears not only on my patience but also my wardrobe.
I love my family of course, but is it too much to ask that they behave themselves? I think not.
This year was different however.
This year will go down as the first time that I can remember since a young girl that everyone actually got along and sober.
My aunt who was hosting dinner said there is to be no alcohol whatsoever, which, I’m not going to lie, wasn’t that great for those of us who don’t have a drinking problem but it’s a small sacrifice to make.
It was almost unbelievable the way that everyone helped out and didn’t have anything to complain about, even me.
To keep myself from complaining too much, I kept busy.
I went to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting with a close family member.
I know that doesn’t scream holiday fun but it was important for me to support my loved one and also to be reminded of how I have it so great when many others do not.
All of the people listen to each others stories, feeling their pain and rubbing their backs in support and comfort, which silently tells the person in pain, “I understand. I’m here for you.”
When I first got there I met a woman who seemed to be friends with everyone.
She was hugging and talking to everyone outside the meeting and when the meeting started she even waved hello to a bunch of people in the room.
She was smiling and looked like miss popular.
Then right before the meeting was over, and people were sharing about the story we had just read, this woman decided to share too.
Except her story was about to make everyone cry, including me.
Her story was long and very sad but her point of sharing was to tell everyone how important they were to her, especially in hard times like the kind holidays bring.
As tears streamed down her face she held a mans hand that was sitting beside her and she thanked everyone in the room for coming to a meeting on a holiday and that we will never know how much it was helping her coup with her problems just by being there.
It was inspiring to say the least.
In a very Hallmark sort of way this woman made me even more grateful for my family, even if we do have a few bad times because there are people out there who have it bad all the time.
When we got home from the meeting I was suddenly filled with ease and glad that I went to a meeting even though I didn’t have to.
My family member doesn’t have to, she is not ordered by the court, she chooses to and that choice is helping her and all of the people that choose to go also.
My Thanksgiving was not a traditional one but it was still the best one I’d had in years.