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 courage to change speaks of the author's relationship with their higher power, and the fact that when they are feeling unhappy, they can start to believe that their HP is punishing them. They feel that when they start to feel that way, they have lost sight of the loving nature of their HP and that they need to recover it.
They find it helps to talk to their sponsor, read al-anon literature and especially take time to walk and talk with their HP about their fears and gratitudes. After the hard times are finished, they feel that they remember the moments of gratitude and feeling loved by their HP rather than remembering the pain and difficulty.
"No-one is alone if they've come to believe in a power greater than themselves" (Sponsorship-what's it all about?)
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I know that during my darkest times, the moments of gratitude and times when I have felt supported and believed in (most especially by people in the fellowship) are very memorable and stand out like lights in the darkness. Being able to turn the dark times on their heads and approaching them as challenges and learning experiences and then being grateful for them is probably the best example I can think of; inside each difficulty there seems to be a period of sadness and anger/loneliness and then, these days, an "aha" moment when I suddenly remember I am not alone, and I have everything I need inside me to face the challenge and use it to grow. And it's true, those moments stand out far more tha the memories of the sadness or anger.
Now, I am about to take my daughter to walk around our botanical gardens with the dog and while she takes pictures with her ridiculously expensive new iphone (which she had better be practicing gratitude for!!!) I think I WILL take time to a)have gratitude and b)talk to my HP about my woes. And I bet I feel a million times better for doing so
Good eveningMs.M. thank you for posting your thoughts on this important topic. I would like to share that I am eternally grateful to Al-Anon, for restoring my belief in a power greater than myself and for providing me with tools to find direct access to that Power when I'm in trouble.
Al-Anon says "changed attitudes, aid recovery" and I discovered that my attitude towards a Higher Power were askew because I thought if I prayed and asked for this power to do for me then" my will would be done." Not so says Al-Anon, we are to pray only for HP's will and the power to carry it out that is the proper use of prayer .
Al-Anon taught me that life is difficult and for my spiritual growth. So that I will be given the courage, wisdom to handle difficult situations so that I can grow
I appreciate your service and hope you have a blessed day.
