Good morning MIP family - TGIF (Thank Goodness It's Friday)!  Today's reading in Courage to Change discusses the importance of meetings and leaning into the Al-Anon program -- especially when we don't want to.  It talks about how we all face challenges and when we hit that point where we want to hide under the covers, that's the best time to reach out and a meeting is a great way to do so.

We may have to drag ourselves to the door, to the meeting, to our seat at the table, yet we always feel better and sander when we break the isolation and reach out for help.  Most find and feel relief at the door even with a new meeting.  There is a healing, comforting Power in the rooms of recovery - a power greater than self.

We all go through down spots in life - that's a part of our living experience.  But depression can become a habit that perpetuates itself unless we act on our own behalf.  Al-Anon can't solve every problem, and some seek help outside the program.  Yet, no matter how we feel, taking action to get help and reaching out makes us available to our HP who lives, breathes and speaks in the rooms of recovery.

Today's reminder ---  When in doubt, I will go to an Al-Anon meeting and invite my Higher Power to do for me what I cannot do for myself.

Today's quote ---  from ...In All Our Affairs -  "There are times when I have to hurt through a situation and when this happens, the choice is not whether to hurt or not hurt, but what to do while I am hurting."

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Just yesterday, I had this conversation with a lovely program friend.  We both laughed about how the mind works in this disease - there are days we don't want to go to meeting, something else is more important, too busy, yada-yada-yada - and that's the exact day we do need to go to a meeting.

I have come to accept I am powerless over self.  My own best thinking got where where I am today - the good, the bad and the indifferent.  I did not wake up one day, and decide I want to marry an alcoholic and spawn alcoholic children.  It was a slow, spiraling process full of denial and self-loathing.

I also did not wake up one day and decide I want to be happy, healthy and whole.  It too is a process - recovery for me is like lifting the veil that blocks my vision and gives me the choice to look at what's good in my life or what's not working at all.  I know that each action I take that is aligned with my own growth, healing and health gives me a bit more joy, peace, confidence and faith.

I am grateful there is a power greater than I in each meeting I attend.  I am grateful that power is always with me when I am willing to reach out for help.  Lastly, I am glad this is a WE program - left to my own...I might still be in the stinking thinking I arrived with.

Happy, happy Friday all - off to golf in a bit - enjoy your day!!