Last Sunday I went to Trinity Episcopal Church. It was a smaller group than I expected. I was surprised to find the atmosphere so vibrant and lively. At the meeting everyone introduces themselves with Hello and their name “my name is so and so and I am an alcoholic”. I've seen alcoholic people my age. I don't know how well they know each other, but they were all friendly. Most shared their stories easily, proud of their sobriety and their second chance at life. Others told their story filled with tears, struggle, heartbreak and defeat. This community, dedicated to the honest acceptance of life's challenges, did not question the motivations or missteps of its members. I spoke to a middle-aged man about his drinking problems. He works at a local restaurant and was a freshman dropout and spoke out about his problems with alcohol. When he was ten his parents divorced. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Through the difficulties experienced by his father. He was trying to avoid the stressful life he had spent with his family, so he started drinking alcohol to escape his loneliness and sadness. Additionally, he drank to impress his friends at social gatherings. To fill a void, he started looking for a tender girl. He started chatting with a new friend, a funny, cute, and smart medical student. He was asked if he wanted to meet up and smoke and he was desperate for company but he shared the struggle with her and met her. Started a boozy week on the college party scene. He is overcome by intense waves of guilt and shame. He felt sad about losing this round of his battle. But instead of being sad, she decided to share her story of struggle with the room hoping that they can learn from each other so they can support each other and have courage from the encounter and learn from it so they don't repeat the same errors. I was shocked at how raw the strength people needed to publicly battle their demons. He was mesmerized by vulnerability, resilience and openness. It was rare for me to hear people talk about the depths of their depression, suicidal ideations and even attempts. However, it seems strange to me. At the end of each story there was an expression of thanks "the greatest thing I received from the meeting is the gift of life". It was as if rebirth for everyone had taken place in this room. He said he has been sober for 12 years and decides every day not to have his first drink so he doesn't become the man he despises. The AAs were focusing on the importance of being spiritually fit and practicing the steps of the program was the signature of the meeting. Alcoholism is considered a neurobiological disease with spiritual cure. This cure is not something you can swallow and let your body do the rest, unlike antibiotics. Physical and psychological resistance is needed to avoid regression. AA life feels like biking in the mountains, so if you're not going up, you're going down. He said he received a personal lesson. No matter how big or small, they celebrate their accomplishments. Every step you take in the right direction brings you closer to your end goal. If people are ready to judge themselves harshly, they should apply to celebrate their successes. Valuing and embracing growth deserves to be recognized. Even if you saw an acquaintance there, you don't need to ask him to protect your anonymity;.