Small Potatoes?

When I arrived at Alcoholics Anonymous thirty-five years ago, it was customary to give a handshake to everyone you came in contact with at the meeting. Custom is not tradition, yet I believe this custom reinforced Tradition One with its emphasis on unity. I felt accepted and a part of the group of people attending the meeting. The spirit behind this hand-shaking also enhanced my ability to listen and learn. Since early childhood, my learning ability always has been greatly hindered when I felt separate from the people I was trying to learn from, and this still surfaces unexpectedly today.