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.
Today's reading discusses the difficulty some of us have in viewing Alcoholism as a disease instead of a choice. It questions why an alcoholic can't just make a decision to quit and be done with it. For the writer, there was a light bulb moment when another member compared Alcoholism to Alzheimer's disease. We see our loved ones slipping away without their awareness of what's happening and our inability to stop it. They look perfectly normal on the outside, but the sickness is progressing and they become more and more irrational and difficult to be around.
When they are lucid and appear to be normal, we want to believe they are well, but these times pass and we worry and despair. As the disease progresses, we find ourselves resenting the very people we once loved.
This explanation helped the writer accept the reality of her situation. The writer was able to separate the disease from the person once he/she was able to accept the disease concept.
The reminder for today suggests we are forced to face the fact that we are powerless over alcoholism once we accept it is a disease. We can gain freedom only when we accept this, and this freedom contributes to our own spiritual growth.
The quote for today is from A Guide for the Family of the Alcoholic - "A family member has no more right to state, "If you love me, you would not drink," than they right to say, "If you loved me, you would not have tuberculosis..." Illness is a condition, not an act."
Accepting alcoholism as a disease can be so, so difficult. I find peace in the illness is a condition and not an act. I found freedom and relief in being able to accept the disease and separate it from my qualifiers. I can not think of a single person who would choose to isolate and self-destruct consciously.
The program has given me a ton of tools to find compassion for my qualifiers and others affected by this disease. When I came to Al-Anon, I felt that recovery was not an option, but a necessity if I wanted to find my peace. The disease had smashed me into a nothingness that is very hard to describe.
Today, I not only have compassion for alcoholics, I do what I can to accept their disease and separate them from it. I am so grateful that I can focus on me, my feelings, my growth and my life and no longer spend countless hours worrying, fretting, controlling and manipulating others to conform to my way. Acceptance is the key to my growth, and I appreciate my 'eyes wide open' - a gift from this program!
Happy Thursday to one and all!
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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
Great shares and page in the C2C I know that I had difficulty accepting the disease concept when i first arrived I am so glad that my sponosr and the members allowed me my doubts so that when I could finally reallyy see the disease concept, I could work step one
This is an excellent reminder and one that worked for me when interacting with my son.
I remember the night he passed I brought him a glass of ice water, held the straw and had the nearly uncontrollable urge to begin my tirade about his needing to get help . Instead I listened to the "small voice within that cautioned me to be quiet and simply tell him I loved him". I did that and the next morning he was gone How happy I was to have my last words those of love and not judgment .
Have a good day
Thank you, Iamhere. This reading has gotten me to realize a conflict I'm having, and I will be posting it as a new topic. Thank you. (Amazing, isn't it, how the daily readings will bring up exactly what needs addressing?)
Oh Betty - that's such a lovely share....I am certain that you are beyond grateful that if it was his time to go, your last words were loving. This thought has entered my mind so often as I walk my journey. I would want this to be the case as well, which brings me so much gratitude for Al-Anon. I was always in a teaching/preaching mode with my boys and now I work hard to accept, empathize and love.
Rosemeyer - yes.....I love how the daily readings so very often reflect what I am working on, struggling with or needing to consider! A lovely gift for my 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
