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.
When I was new to the program my alanon sponsor suggested I read the AA promises each day. (Our group permits the Big Book of AA as part of permitted literature to discuss in meetings). When I read these trying to identify how they would work for for me in my alanon program I said after each promise, "God I hope so" They were as foreign to me as another language. They made no sense because my life was a wreck and I could not see how these promises could come true. Before my first year was through in alanon I could see how ALL these promises had come true in my life as a result of working the steps with a sponsor. I wanted to share the promises with others who perhaps may not have seen them before to share the HOPE that exists in the program. Enjoy!
If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are half way through.
We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness.
We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.
We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace.
No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others.
That feeling of uselessness and self pity will disappear.
We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows.
Self-seeking will slip away.
Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change.
Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us.
We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.
We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.
Are these extravagant promises? We think not. They are being fulfilled among ussometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them.
tommyecat, I just want to say I love your shares, i have been here in mip four years, with a sprinkling of face to face, I haven't worked the steps or ever had a sponser, my husband is five yea'sr sober this May, he hasn't worked the steps or got a sponser either, I continue to learn so so much here, and although life is much improved in our home, I know there is more, I am like a snakes and ladders game up and down, then i get it and I move forwards, I don't know of anywhere else a person could go to get such amazing wisdom experience and hope, I do wonder had I not had any dealings with alcholism would I ever of really known what my problem was, I didn't realise my way of dealing with life was harming me, and others, this week here on mip has been an amazing revelation to me, thankyou.
I am going to try and get myself into some open aa, to try and find a sponsor, also I am really trying to understand step one, I love the aa promise thankyou again for bringing it here.
The alanon program has changed my life. I am so grateful for all those that have gone before me that have given me as much time as I needed to get well. That is what I think this board is for. It supports Alanons 5th tradition by helping families of alcoholics. Thank you too because I need you and everyone on this board to help remind me exactly where I was when I came into the rooms of Alanon.
I can't keep my program unless I give it away through supporting this forum, sponsorship, sharing in meetings, having group responsibilities and accepting speaking engagements from other groups. The HOPE portion of sharing our Experience, Strength & HOPE is so vital to my recovery and perhaps to many others that are here. I've been in the program awhile and any given day I can be mistaken for a newcomer. I need the reminders from you guys as well.
As the saying goes " I am not a slow learner, I am a fast forgetter"
I learned the steps all have "conditions, promises, and a prayer"
If you do this this like this, you get this, here's your prayer
If we are painstaking about this phase of our development
They will always materialize if we work for them.
That means if I work steps one through eight thoroughly and am painstaking about step nine, THEN I will be amazed before I am half way through, I won't get these benefits by taking anyone else's inventories or by making someone else make amends or if someone else changes or works a program, I have to do the work myself to get these promises to come true, to my dismay sitting around eating bon bons and watching Oprah and Dr Phil while waiting for others to change didn't make a single one of these promises come true, I had to actually really work for them, pen to paper fearless and thorough working of the steps and facing myself head on with the help of others who had gone before me
