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 August 6 speaks about taking risks and trusting HP. It is often difficult to do this because sometimes my position looks hopeless ,and my HP is asking me to take a risk. I hesitate out of fear, however, I must remind myself that HP is helping me to cope and make positive choices.
The daly Reminder states it takes courage to step beyond what is comfortable and predictable-- courage is a gift from my HP that I find in the rooms of Al-Anon and the hearts of its members.
The quote is from Martin Luther King Jr.; Courage faces fear and nearby Masters it
I must be honest here-- I never thought that I was a fearful person before coming into the rooms, and getting honest with myself. What I discovered was that I felt fear, turned into anger and struck out at others-- I had no tools to deal with fear-Working the steps, examining my motives, trusting HP has taught me how to feel all my feelings, acknowledge my fear, and pray about it. HP then gives me the courage to move forward.
I love the saying in Al-Anon that: courage is fear that has said its prayers-- I can vouch for that.
Thank you Al-Anon for giving me the courage to live life on lifes terms using principles above personalities and taking the next right action.
Thanks for the daily and your lovely ESH! That could have been me writing - I never considered myself fearful until I did my inventory(s)....It took a lot of soul-searching to realize that my outward 'shell' was nothing more than a wall that I had put up to preserve 'self'. Unfortunately, while the wall wasn't a horribly bad idea, the 'self' I was preserving was not the person I was destined to be, but rather a crazy candidate for Al-Anon!!!
The only way for me to get to the other side of 'me' was by taking risks. Going to meetings, sharing in meetings, honesty with a sponsor and with self were extreme risks for me and I had real fear. Fear of failure, judgement, and a bunch of unknown - most of which was not real and based on judging others, self and projecting the worst.
I am so grateful that when I arrived, I was welcomed. I am so grateful that others had what I wanted, which gave me the courage to take risks. I am so grateful that I no longer am ashamed of who I became, as it's a part of how I came to be 'me' today.
Lastly, so grateful that I am a work in progress - never assuming I have arrived. It is my hope and dream to continue to grow in this program to gain more peace and serenity - I am thinking one can always grow!
I've shared before that I showed only one emotion most of my life - anger/disgust. I am grateful that I now have a range - positive and negative! More emotions equals more growth opportunity (I think) - happy and grateful for the Al-Anon program!
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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
