What we say matters

I went to an AA anniversary dinner tonight. I saw it listed in the event flyer of the local AA central office. It was a little distance away from my normal circle of meetings, and I thought that I might hear a great speaker and meet some new people. The reception that I got when I arrived was very slight. I saw people collected in their small groups. I didn’t know anyone there, except maybe just a few faces that I might have seen once or twice in the past. I felt out of place and awkward. I felt like I didn’t want to bother them as they talked, since they didn’t seem to be approachable.