Alcoholics Anonymous making waves in……………..Fashion????? At 27 years old, I feel almost archaic at young peoples meetings. Comparable to a pager amongst cell phones, I’m not exactly a spring chicken in the young peoples’ circuit of Alcoholics Anonymous. Recently, I decided to get in touch with my roots, and re-visited one of my old youthful home groups. Mind you, I hadn’t been to this particular meeting in about three years. As I approached the entrance, a warm feeling came over me. It had all the familiar sights, sounds, and smells that had once signified comfort to me, but something was different. I immediately noticed that kids from ages 12-20 were dawning symbols of AA. Whether it was chips worn as bracelets, necklaces, or earrings, leather purses adorned with the double “A” moniker, or ripped jeans sewn with the universal triangle and circle, I couldn’t believe that Alcoholics Anonymous had become somewhat of a fashion statement. It brought a smile to my face. Was being in AA cool? Was this debilitating affliction, hidden for so long, becoming a fad? Who knew?
It was amazing to me that kids were wearing tributes to their alcoholism as accessories. Comparable to badges of honor, these bits and pieces spoke more loudly than words. They said, “We are the new generation of AA. We are proud of whom and what we are and we are not afraid to show it. I giggled to myself quietly and couldn’t help but wonder what Bill W and Dr. Bob would make of this situation. I’m pretty sure they would be giggling too!
Veronica Verderame