I have attended two open AA meetings, designed to have an open discussion about their history of substance abuse and alcohol-related problems. People from any part of the world were able to participate in both meetings, regardless of their appearance and behavior. This also meant the group was open to people still struggling with alcoholism. I've learned that closed meetings are only for people who want to honor and commit to quitting drinking. This means they cannot consume alcohol for more than 24 hours at least. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay On March 18, 2019, I went to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in West Chester, Pennsylvania, at 5:30 pm. The location where the meeting took place was at club 307. I have never experienced anything of this nature. The only time I saw or heard anyone talk about these meetings for alcoholics was in class or during commercials on television and YouTube ads, which would describe these meetings as a circle of strangers telling their stories of their lives and how being dependent on a drug or substance has changed their life forever. Coming into this meeting I didn't know what to expect, I didn't know if it would be a room full of drunk homeless people or just random people coming in needing help. There was a speaker speaking and giving motivational speeches on how to overcome their addiction problems. I noticed that during this meeting the speaker was not condemning them for their actions but was building them up and reassuring them that what they have been through in the past will lead them to where they are going and it is in their divine purpose for them to be sitting in those seats. They played an ice breaker by saying their names and where they are from and discussing why they are here. There were about 25 people in that meeting. What made me really happy about this meeting was that they prayed before the meeting. In my eyes with prayer, faith and God everything is possible. Having a foundation of faith will be really helpful for those who need to recover from addiction. The second meeting I attended was at Intergroup Alcohol of Lancaster County and was held at Trinity Lutheran Church on March 26th. This meeting was a mix of men and women I would say there were about 20 people in there. They also started the meeting with a prayer and really made people feel at home and built a relationship of trust with the speakers and with people who need help recovering from addiction. At the beginning of the meeting, the speakers asked if there were any first-time visitors and I raised my hand. They hugged me and welcomed me. The speaker herself had battled addiction and overcome it. It was quite surprising how the group handled his story in a positive way. I noticed that at times members smiled, connected, and others made brief supportive comments. Rather than judging her by past events in her life, the group seemed to connect with her in a personal and intimate way. I liked how the meeting was honest and open and the ability to connect with each other was beautiful to see. Subsequently at both meetings I attended, several members of the meeting read a short AA literature, the 12 promises and traditions. Both encounters were very similar and eye-opening. The 12 promises are very essential and important because they involve God and encourage people to believe.