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.
I received this as an email forward from the mother who abandoned me almost 30 years ago. I gave her my email as a nicety at my grandma's funeral in October. Read it, and keep an open mind. Perhaps I have been too judgemental....
The best prayer I have heard in a long time............
Heavenly Father, Help us remember That the jerk who cut us off in traffic Last night is a single mother who Worked nine hours that day and Is rushing home to cook dinner, Help with homework, Do the laundry and spend a Few precious moments With her children.
Help us to remember that the Pierced, tattooed, disinterested Young man who can't make Change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, Balancing his apprehension Over final exams with his Fear of not getting his Student loans for next semester.
Remind us, Lord, That the scary looking bum, Begging for money in the same Spot every day (who really ought To get a job!) is a slave to addictions That we can only imagine in our Worst nightmares.
Help us to remember that the Old couple walking annoyingly Slow through the store aisles And blocking our shopping Progress are savoring this Moment, knowing that, Based on the biopsy report She got back last week, This will be the last year that they Go shopping together.
Heavenly Father, Remind us each day that, Of all the gifts you give us, The greatest gift is love.
It is not enough to share That love with those We hold dear.
Open our hearts not to Just those who are Close to us, but to all humanity.
Let us be slow to judge And quick to forgive, Show patience, Empathy and love.
I feel like an A$$ for holding a grudge for so long. Who am I to judge her for leaving me. God's will, not mine, was done, and probably for the better. Who am I to continue to judge her almost 30 years later? Who am I to judge her period?
lol... and my reply to you, would be to "be kinder to yourself"....
I would suggest that you truly "did the best you could, with what you knew at the time", so you weren't being an *ss at all - just being you, and where you were at the time.... The fact that you are 'looking in the mirror' now, and openly questioning yourself on this, is a great sign of growth, on your part.....
Things aren't always "right or wrong", they just are....
Take care
Tom
__________________
"He is either gonna drink, or he won't.... what are YOU gonna do?"
"What you think of me is none of my business"
"If you knew the answer to what you are worrying about, would it REALLY change anything?"
