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 in Courage to Change compares our emotional awareness and growth in recovery to a music student learning how to play the piano. When first starting, the student learns just a few keys, playable with one hand. Similar, in early recovery, we begin to feel our feelings and as we grow in recovery, our range widens.
We become grateful for laughter and a lighter spirit, as well as anger and fear as each plays a part in making us whole. We believe that our Higher Power wants us to be fully alive and fully aware of our feelings. Feeling our emotions helps expand our recovery, and has us stretching to find richer sounds within us to continue improving.
Today's reminder --- Today I will appreciate the full range of feelings available to me. They make my experience of life full indeed.
Today's quote is from Agatha Christie - "I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable . . . but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing."
I am in full agreement that being alive is a grand thing. There were moments before the program where I truly wondered why I existed, what value I added and lastly how much pain could a person endure and still continue. With recovery, I no longer question my existence or value and am happy, joyous and free most of the time. By putting my trust in the program, and a higher power, I have found that peace can be had and can continue no matter how big of storm is circling around me.
Trusting in a higher power that all will be OK and that he is leading me towards my best possible life gives me the freedom to fear less and feel more. Before the program, I feel as if I had two feelings - anger or numb. My song has improved, and I am forever grateful.
Happy Thursday to one and all - 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
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this very important topic IAH.
I am so grateful to alanon for teaching me how to feel all my feelings, process them (without reacting to them and blaming others) and then kowing how to express them in a healthy fashion.
I can now allow myself to feel anger, sadness, happiness and joy without striking out. How great it that!!
Thanks for your service.
Such a meaning full post. I have also benefited from the knowledge that even in my deepest despair, i will get out of it. I will try to learn the lessons of how i got in that pickle. Sometimes I will just do what I call crying in my closet. I get overstressed and full of feelings and literally get in my walkin closet and cry or yell.
alyce
Thank you IAH for the great reminder!