The Joy of Giving

Last night, as I packed up the coffee supplies, finishing up a two-year commitment, a surprising feeling washed over me. It wasn't relief that it was over, but a warmth of deep gratitude. Every week, setting up the meeting, I used to focus on the task itself, often feeling like it was just another chore. But as I handed the key to the next person, I realized the true gift had been the opportunity to show up for others, just as so many had shown up for me.

When I first walked into Al-Anon, broken and bewildered, I felt I had nothing to offer. I was simply trying to stay afloat. Yet, people served me without question: they poured coffee, they listened, they called just to check in. They offered me safe harbor with such genuine care, and without strings attached. That unconditional comfort was a lifeline.

Now, years into recovery, I see that giving isn't a duty; it's a profound privilege. It’s about being able to offer that same loving presence to someone else who might be struggling. The joy isn’t in the ritual of making coffee, but in the quiet knowing that I can be a link in that chain of compassion, passing on the peace and hope that were so freely given to me.

Whatever small service I can offer—making coffee, staying after to talk, calling someone who's struggling—I can do it the way it was done for me. With love, with respect, with compassion. The joy comes from passing it on.