What Does It Mean to Feel Out of Place?

 

What does it mean to feel out of place?

            I have a very important to ask everyone.  Have any of you ever felt out of place during your life?  I have because I went to an AA Meeting a couple of weeks ago, and everyone felt appreciative and understanding.  I was very happy during the AA Big Book Study.  Whereas, two hours later, I went to an NA Meeting and no one did not speak to me and show me love whatsoever.  I really felt out of place because not too many people from AA, which is Alcoholics Anonymous attend NA Meetings.

 Narcotics Anonymous is a very great Fellowship.  It is that, my AA Sponsor does not want me attending those type of meetings.  I do not understand why he would tell me not to attend NA Meetings in the first place.  I can identify with both support groups.  I will have to get another Sponsor because I really think he gave me some bad advice.  I understand that I have an addiction.  I am a grateful recovering alcoholic and addict.  I have been clean and sober for 27 years.

  I want to inform everyone that I have been clean and sober since Wednesday May 2, 1990.  I really feel out of place because of attending a meeting that does not coincide with my personal beliefs.  Frankly, it is not my personal beliefs that I have to deal with, I have been coerced or easily influenced to listen to others.  There are sponsors who give bad advice.  I really feel that my sponsor gave me some bad advice when he should have examined the principles and traditions of NA, and compare it to AA.  In my case, I have to read information from both Fellowships in order to understand things.  Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.  Job 33:14 says for God may speak in one way, or in another, yet man does not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night.  When deep sleep falls upon men.  Then He opens the ears of men and seal their instructions.

I have to remain prayerful and truthful at all times.  I know that I am in need of a new AA sponsor.  My old AA sponsor and I parted ways with each other over 3 months ago.  This is because he mentioned to me that I should not attend NA meetings.  I have not attended an NA meeting ever since.  I know that all of this sounds like a drama or a soap opera. I know that I am also dealing with issues other than AA, but I am hopeful for the present as well as the future.  I am a very nice person.

 I am a person who learns from everyone.  I know that my behavior has not been the best as of late.  However, I am an analytical person.  I am a person who loves to study.  I am, a person who tells the truth at all times.  I do not have anything to hide from anyone.  I am also a person who is willing to give my last dollar to someone who is in need.  I am a person who has had a great deal of success during the past 30 years.  I have had a lot of success during the time I was working at the University of Toledo for 4 years.  I also has a great deal of success, while working at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.  I am a person who loves to read, write, think freely, and study.  Please keep me in your prayers.  Thank you very much!!

Sincerely,

Anthony Hopkins