When I am asked by anyone not familiar with AA what is the best definition of our Association, the very first thing that comes to my mind is: AA is one, only one – everywhere, under any sun, latitude, language colour of the skin – AA is ONE.

And I am a part of this ONE sisterhood and brotherhood, sharing in this gift of sobriety, and being able anywhere in the world to find my people, my fellows in AA.

I started travelling the world when I was only 6 months sober. I left Italy, my home town of Rome, my first AA home group (Corso Francia) and my first Sponsor, Anna. I also left the fellowship of men and women that, on a very dark, cold and desperate 27th of January night, gave me for the first time some hope, a sense of belonging that I have never lost after all these years. They helped me to find meaning in life again.

You are not a bad person, they told me, you are sick and you were born this way. But we have a solution for you; in this fellowship you will find peace and a new serenity, if you desire to. Just come back.

Those simple words of hope and wisdom have never left me since that night, and they accompanied me to Houston, TX in the USA, where my family moved shortly after that first night, then a few years later back to Italy, and then to Singapore where I landed in 2005.

The fellowship is ONE, even if during the 18 years of my journey in the world and in AA, there have been differences of language, accent, colour of the skin, culture and education among my AA friends. In each of the rooms our symbols, our mottos, the unconditional love for each other – notwithstanding any of those other differences – made my life so much easier, often very beautiful and I was never, never alone again.

I just had and have to keep opening new doors, new rooms, sitting in new chairs, joining new circles of friends in AA, repeating hundreds of times our Prayer “God give me the Serenity…” and feeling it to the bottom of my heart

Thank you AA for being the ONE and only certainty in my life. Thank you for the many rooms in the world that welcomed me, with open doors and open arms.