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.
The relationship with me and my recoverying alcoholic/drug addicted daughter is going really well now. Being gone from things at home sure helped me alot. I am more relaxed now too. She moved into a house out of town and is renting a room. She can have her dog there and just aquired another dog to be friends with her dog LOL. At least that gives her a reason to keep working. I am sure dog food for the big dog is not cheap. She likes her most recent new job. Her other job had pressures from employees to drink and get high. This place of employment seems safe and better for her. I have been good at opening up my heart and keeping my mouth shut :) After her episode with going off her medication and being in the psych ward for the weekend, she has learned that she needs her medication for her anxiety. She is picking up samples for the doctor today and made an appointment with her psychiatrist and a new counselor. For a long time she said she did not need individual counseling but only AA. She made all these decisions on her own too :) She seems so much more responsible now too. She has told me that she has seen older friends out drinking or being high and she does not want to be like that anymore. She seems to have a new outlook on that part of her life. She continues to go to AA and NA meetings knowing that they are a key to her staying clean and sober. When I was gone for the month she and my husband would have arguments (hubby no alanon) and then make up. I actually was not in the middle physically or emotionally. Wow, life is running way more smoothly than it use to. She has not bounced anymore checks and is paying her bills. I just love the dignity word. I learned here to give her the dignity to fail on her own etc. and it has been an invaluable lesson for me. (Ty abbyal for that lesson) Now to focus on me more and my shortcomings and my steps. Thanks to all of you again for your prayers and support you have given me through my alanon journey and my journey with my ill parents. cdb :)
Lots of growth going on over there with you and your daughter!
I have been finding out myself lately that the more we tend to our side of the street the easier things go. Peace and serenity come outta focusing on us. Doing the next right thing for us. Getting caught up in what others are going through by way of trying to find solutions for them, or projecting and trying to plan God's course for ourselves and others, well just robs me of any peace or serenity I have!
You know I used to want to drive the car all the time. Hated being a passenger. Part of that is I tend to get motion sickness if I am not driving. But the older I get, I am finding out that letting someone else drive the car is pretty darn good! Don't have all that pressure of watching the road ahead, making the right decisions, reacting at the appropriate time. I can just sit back and enjoy the world as it passes by me. Take notice of the beautiful flowers growing along the road, or smile and wave at the kids in other cars the come along that make funny faces at me. All I had to do was figure out how not to get motion sickness (which I did) and be willing to let someone else be in control instead of me (which is a little tougher, but I'm getting there!)
