ContentsFebruary Articles Online
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Vol. 66 No. 9
Editor's NoteDear Readers, I had often heard about the high-octane fun alcoholics had at Young People in AA (YPAA) events, and when I attended the 51st International Convention of Young People in Atlanta, Ga., last summer, I was not disappointed. With round-the-clock meetings, dancing till dawn and the cheer "We love you-lots and lots and who-o-ole bunches!" greeting every speaker, there was an exuberance for recovery that was truly infectious. What surprised me, however, was the compassion for young drunks underlying the fun, and the stories about AAs joining forces to take information about the program into schools, prisons, rehabs and reservations. There are now YPAA conventionsin almost every state and several countries. We hope to share some of the spirit of young AAs-and their seriousness of purpose-in this issue. Conveying their growing dedication to service, "AA is for Us" describes how alcoholics in one city formed a committee to support one another and soon found themselves taking meetings into the juvenile wing of prisons and arranging transportation to service events for newcomers. Tracing the presence of young AAs to 1935, "Forever Young" conveys the impact they had not only on the personal recovery of drunks, but on the growth of the program, while "Early Exposure" offers a vision of the impact they may have in the years ahead. "If we suit up, show up and open our minds to learn from those who have gone before us," writes the author, "we'll be secure and our society will carry on into the future." What makes this month's special section particularly special are its illustrations by David R., a sober member of AA. It is an act of generosity that reminds me how fortunate we are to be in a Fellowship of women and men like David, who give so much to AA and enjoy doing it, to boot. — In fellowship, |
