Fasting

 Lent is a time of fasting for some religions.  Well, AA is not a religion, but its members fast too.  From what?  From being too busy for a newcomer.  When someone comes into the room for the first time or first few times, they are yoked to alcohol or some other substance.  They lack sustaining friendship.  They are lonely and marginalized.  They lack a sense of dignity and hope.  They need to be noticed and heard.  This takes time.  Someone with sobriety does not rush out of the room to get onto the next busy thing.  They stay and walk up to the newcomer and welcome them, give their name and offer a phone number.  Now do church people, who believe in a God do this for the newcomer?  Generally, church people just talk to people they know.  The stranger is ignored.  The atheist and agnostic welcomes newcomers, but the believers do not.  May Lent be a time to fast from preoccupation with self.