I'm Gail, an alcoholic.

AA unity depends on recognizing each other as part of the fellowship and wearing AA-colored glasses in meetings to see the Higher Power at work in all of us. Recognizing the human being and not noticing the personality is tough sometimes, because it's easy to allow someone to get under our skin. Judging them by the way they look, or by what they say, or by their actions, is almost an automatic reflex. My mother taught me the prayer, "there but for the grace of God, go I" and it seemed easy to do when pitying someone less fortunate. But it was more useful when I used to pray for someone who was getting under my skin. Usually people are generally acting poorly when in pain, and I know what it is like to be in pain. So, I try to behave and speak in ways that won't cause more pain to others, and when I screw up, promptly admit it and move on. I apologize when I can, and get on with my day. If we divide us up into those we like and those we don't, who looks good, or who we like to hear, eventually we will be ultimately alone. And it doesn't work like that.