I'm new!

[Yours Truly]

Hello! I found LifeRing in hopes to build a support structure aside from AA that would compliment my own recovery.

I am glad that there are people here and hope to give back as I receive.

Looking for some F2F meetings in Eastern Ontario.

Anybody?

[sid]

Hi Rob,

Good to see you here.

I am a bit far away in India else i would have been game for a meeting in Ontario.

Keep in touch.

Regards,
Sid

[Lorne Bergson]

Hi. I'm in Montreal, just down the road, sort of. I'm convening a new meeting to start soon, I hope. I've had a lot of support from Michael W. and even Marty N. himself, so don't be shy.

[Yours Truly]

There still isn't anything in Eastern Ontario - but if I wond up spending time in Montreal I'll be sure to look you up, Lorne.

[Rick F.]

I think we all have to take some degree of responsibility for the availability of LiFeRoing F2F meetings in our communities. I'm comparitely lucky to live in northern California, but, still, I am awaiting that magic 6-month point where I can serve as a convener. If, in terms of the maps, what I am doing is infill, then how much more important is it for us to extend this considerable blessing to others elsewhere?

[DebGoinnuts]

I agree Rick. I believe it is a brave and magnanimous task to take on. I think what stops me is not wanting to put my authentic self out there close to home, and the degree of accountability that being a convener would dictate.
I know you will learn far more about yourself than you ever will about the others that are drawn to your meetings. I applaud you and wish this to be a great tool for you.

[Rick F.]

Actually, I think that, even in so egalitarian and democratic a setup as LifeRing, one probably is less self-revealing as a convener than as an ordinary attendee -- what John Keegan called "the mask of command," even though no more "command" is going on than the occasional gentle nudge to get folks back on topic.

The real work will go on getting done in other meetings, where I'm not the mad scientist, just one of the lab hunchbacks... :-)

[Bob]

Hi RF
You are right on "the mask of command", I personally don't really like sharing all that much at F2F meetings, I try and make it easy on everyone, I always tell the group its okay to take a pass, jump in when you want.
Take Care
Bob O.

[Rick F.]

Bob -- The good news is that, as I've come to know people in the meetings I'm attending these days, my lifelong wariness about such things seems to be abating. This is probably a good thing...