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 C2C reading for June 3 speaks about how easy it is to react to the insanity of the disease of alcoholism. It appears that alcoholic uses arguments to provokes others in order to distract them from focusing on the real issue of drinking.
We who live with the disease gets so caught up in the argument and defending ourselves that nobody is looking at the actual alcoholic. There is an important quote here that says unfortunately, "What we defend against we make real."
Step one, ask us to admit completely that we are powerless over this disease and that we do not have the strength necessary to fight it.
Defending ourselves and engaging in arguments with actively drinking folks, is as fruitless as putting on armor to protect ourselves from a nuclear explosion. Only a power greater than ourselves can restore us to sanity.
Today's reminder states I am responsible for taking the actions necessary to keep myself safe-- If my safety is not at risk. I can take time to make choices about my responses. I don't have to react and by turning to my HP for protection rather than my wits or my will, I have provided myself the best defense.
The quote is from Al-Anon 12 steps and 12 traditions. "Once we learn to see our situation as it really was, we understood why it was necessary for us to turn to a power greater than ourselves."
As always, thanks for the daily and this rings true in my world. One of my favorite gifts of this program is the Steps! When I sense, feel, react or act based on pre-program tools, I am so grateful that I can turn to the steps and literature for the solution. If I continue to remind myself how powerless I am over the disease and how unmanageable it makes me/my life, it makes it so much easier to turn it all over to a power greater than myself to restore my sanity.
When I first arrived, keeping myself 'safe' was a bit difficult. I did not consider my emotional safety or my mental safety - I truly considered safe relative to the physical only. It took a bit of time and teaching from you all and F2F to realize that 'safe' means so much more and I have a right to be/feel safe in ALL my relationships.
Blessings to you for all you do!
Make it a great day!
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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
