May 2025

Highlights from the May 2025 Issue:

This issue features an in-depth article by Paul D. on carrying the A.A. message into the Ottawa Withdrawal Management Centre and transitional housing programs including Maison Gilles Chagnon and Maison Billy Buffett. The piece focuses on the role of service in early recovery, the importance of showing up for people at the beginning of their journey, and how bridging the gap between detox and the fellowship can be lifesaving. It describes the impact of consistency, lived experience, and simple presence in helping newcomers take their first step into A.A.

The issue also includes a reflection by Joe F. on Tradition Five, tracing how the tradition emerged out of early challenges to A.A.’s unity and purpose. The article discusses the difference between group autonomy and group responsibility, and how singleness of purpose protects both the fellowship and the newcomer.

A personal story by Lilly W., “To Those of You Who Still Struggle,” follows her return to sobriety after relapse following 22 years in recovery. She describes the grief, burnout, and emotional collapse that preceded drinking again, the rapid progression once she restarted, and the renewed spiritual foundation she found through returning to meetings, sponsorship, and daily practice. The piece centers on perseverance, recommitment, and the possibility of rebuilding after long-term sobriety is interrupted.