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 Love that i Can Learn new things here, and Adjust my Attitude along with my Actions, but I Still have Days I am Like Speaking to a Brick Wall... I have a Very Dear Al-Anon Friend that I Feel a Broke a boundry with, and She God Love her, is Only Worried about my Feeling in it all...
I am a Gifter... :/ If I Am Out and I See something that a Friend would Like, or Maybe Useful for them, I Pick it up, or I Make them Something of Use...and then when I see them or they have an Annv. or Birthday I Give it to them... Welp... :D I Have Learned Today that isn't always Good for Others that Don't Like to Recieve...
and Just for the Record she has told me this Before, but I had My Blocks Up so I didn't hear... She has MANY MANY MANY Years in this program, and is Always the First Person I Call when I'm Whirling Out of Control, Yet I Over Stepped this boundry, and I Just Feel Terrible...
She called today and ask if she could Return the Items to Me, (She wouldn't even look at them) I told her Of Course, and in talking she made Alot of Sense as to WHY she doesn't approve of such things So I Wont be to quick to do it again :0(
At First It did Kinda Sting a Bit, but I'm Grateful for her Honesty, and that she Spoke to ME about it, and Helped me Understand HER View of things...
In My Alcoholic Home this wouldn't have been an Option... We would just sit SICK In all the ICK and Never Discuss it or Deal with it, so I'm Very Grateful she is the Example that I try to be "Like" tho I Know I am My Own Person...
I Guess in My Mind, when you Spend Several Decades in a Program with Constant Commitment, and Program, I Felt it just needed a Little Light... (My View) and tho I Love & Adore her, I wanted to Let her Know How Much I Just Appriecate Everything she has Done for me, but We Worked it out and are in Agreement, NO MORE...
I Do want to Add that we Come from a Very Small Community with only 4 meetings a Week withing 30 minutes of my home, and 2 are on the same day, So When you go to a Meeting, You are Know and Fall in Love with Everyone because you are all so Close in Radius and Fellowship... :)
I have Found that I Am One that CAN Enjoy USEFUL Gifts, Like Candles that can Burn, or Something that Isn't just a Figure I have to Dust, but a Useful Thing, Yet when Someone goes out and Buys me "STUFF" I Do tend to get un easy about it, I have tried really hard to Understand to Respect others Requests, and I Will indeed Start Paying Better Attention... But I Got Schooled, and Well Deserved... HOWEVER I know that if the World Falls apart again tomorrow, She will still be the first one I Call, because if anyone can take me off a Hanging Ledge... Its Her :) I totally Respect her Program, and the years and decades she has been there for Peeps Just like ME :)
I'm Just wondering if Any of you Here are Like this and Why? Do You Like to Recieve Gifts from your Al-Anon Family? Or at All? And Why or Either?
Hi Jozie Bless your generous heart and spirit! I have agreed to exchange birthday gifts and Christmas gifts.with my sponsees. It is a mutual gift giving that we have negotiated.
As far as spontaneous gifts from other members, I have not experienced that.but, would probably feel uncomfortable accepting. My reasoning is that since this is a spiritual program and a fellowship of equals, anything that alters the quality of the relationship within the group might tend to change the balance. I would probably feel indebted to someone they gave me a gift and that would alter my comfort at a meeting. Just my take on the issue.
