Lovingly Received

When I first came to Al-Anon I sat in the back and listened. I heard people share things I'd never heard spoken out loud – the chaos at home the fear the shame the desperate attempts to control. And I watched how the group responded. No gasps of horror. No judgment or rejection. Just nodding heads and understanding faces.

We have listened to others share openly and with courage at meetings and have seen them lovingly received. This gave me hope that maybe I could share too. Maybe my truth wasn't too shameful. Maybe vulnerability wouldn't lead to rejection. I'd seen evidence – real evidence – that people could share their worst and be lovingly received.

Step Five asks me to believe that what I witnessed at meetings will be true in my Fifth Step too. That the person hearing my inventory will receive me lovingly not judgmentally. That courage leads to acceptance not rejection.

Before doing Step Five, I can pay attention at meetings to how people respond when someone shares vulnerably. Notice the acceptance. Watch the loving reception. Let that evidence give me courage that my vulnerability will be met with the same grace.