Fellowship

 AA is a lot like organized religion in that both are spiritual paths and both are communal.  Neither AA nor religion will release its benefits if one sits on the edges, or simply attends.  People come to AA meetings and sit alone in the back.  They come late and leave right away, talking to no one.  They hear AA “scriptures” and information, but such people rarely get sober, and usually will drink again after some bad behavior called a “dry drunk.”  It is the same in organized religion such as mine.  People come to the worship building, sit in the back, talk to no one, come late and probably leave early.  They are there for themselves and not others.  In both cases there is no involvement or working with or for others in the group to which they attend.  There is no communal fellowship and so such people stay on the edges, change little for the better and often just drift off saying, “it didn’t work for me” or “I don’t need all that stuff.”  I don’t speak from judgment, but from experience.  I find the full benefits come not just from private reading or attendance, but from volunteering in a way that is helpful to others, to the group.  Transformation, growth, is not private, but communal, to receive and share with others what we are receiving through our spiritual paths.