The material presented
here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method
to exchange
information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal
level.
Today's reading discuss the hopelessness and despair many of us suffer as a result of living with alcoholism. Many of us before recovery had our hopes shattered over and over again, and ended up shutting down our feelings and stopped hoping at all.
When we work on our recovery, we come to discover a spirituality that allows us to believe that there is every reason to hope. Regardless of the circumstances, with help from a higher power, we find there is every reason to hope. With recovery, higher power and fellowship, we can feel fully alive in the moment and enjoy our feelings.
Lifetime lessons are not learned overnight, but Al-Anon helps us to learn that it is safe to feel, to hope and even to dream.
Today's reminder -- It is risky to care -- I may be disappointed. But in trying to protect myself from pain, I could cut myself off from the many delights that life has to offer. I will live more fully today.
Today's thought -- "Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul." from Samuel Ullman
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I am one who came to recovery full of anger, fear, shame, and numb. I was hopeless and truly felt my life sucked. My bottom was real, painful and devastating and I was truly at the end of my rope. I had spent so much time/energy/effort trying to fix an impossible situation that I was wrecked.
In recovery, it was suggested I focus on me. Stop obsessing over what others were/were not doing and just focus on me. Pray for me, work to change me, put me first. I practiced, practiced, practiced and it took a long time to feel sort of right putting me first. Yet each moment of each day where I focused on this program, believing in a higher power, the restoration possibilities, etc. my load felt lighter.
I have been able to come full circle in recovery. I am able to stay standing when those around me disappoint me. I am able to separate me, my actions and my thoughts from the disease and the diseased. I am able to calmly express my needs, likes and dislikes without expecting another to 'change for me'. I am finally free to be me and to allow others to be them.
Our spiritual journey is the best gift I ever got. I would not trade it for anything and I now know that I will be OK, and staying in the here and now is the best alignment tool I can use to have the priceless gift of serenity.
Happy Thursday to all!
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Practice the PAUSE...Pause before judging. Pause before assuming. Pause before accusing. Pause whenever you are about to react harshly and you will avoid doing and saying things you will later regret. ~~~~ Lori Deschene
Thank you iamhere for your service, happy Thursday to you and I so agree that spirituality is the best gift. Before recovery I truly believed I was living in hell and my destiny was to live a life of disappointment after disappointment. When I was at my lowest my MIL said to me "you are in pain, have you ever heard of Alanon?". Well, no, I hadn't. But by that time I was in such a state of deep depression that I would try anything to feel better. I was at a meeting that very day and I cried the entire time. But they were tears of hope, it was a release for me, I had found a home after being lost for so long. I worked step one at that first meeting, although I didn't know it at the time, but I had admitted I was powerless and I surrendered my pessimistic view of the world and a power greater than me filled those holes in me with hope.
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- Carrie
Stress is caused by being 'here' but wanting to be 'there'. Eckhart Tolle
Thank you for the reading today. I also felt desperate and was willing to try meetings and a sponsor, because everything I had tried for years, was not working. Despite knowing drinking and driving was wrong, lying, sneaking around, living a separate life, all was wrong, wrong, wrong for a healthy , married couple, I could not get any of this across to my A.
And I remember my first meeting-people there seemed content and calm-was I going to be a fish out of water in Alanon too? And no help to fix my A? I can laugh at this now. But it's true, it took focus and dedication on my part, to turn myself around. But it's possible and wonderful. I am no longer in a deep hole. I'm enjoying my life even though things are not perfect. Progress not perfection, Lyne
Thank you both for your ESH....I do believe I am amazed at who I am vs. who I was....and so, so grateful!
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Practice the PAUSE...Pause before judging. Pause before assuming. Pause before accusing. Pause whenever you are about to react harshly and you will avoid doing and saying things you will later regret. ~~~~ Lori Deschene
