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.
Good morning MIP. Today's reading is about knowledge and how what we know might change as we embrace recovery. Knowledge is helpful to look at the past for information about ourselves. We can learn a ton from inventories, memories, and reasoning things out with others. Yet - waiting for insight can become an excuse to avoid action.
Some of us have tried to analyze alcoholism. Often we struggle to accept the reality of our circumstances as we've not figured out the disease. The fact - alcoholism is an illogical disease; we may never fully comprehend it! Still others want to ignore the spiritual nature of the program, waiting for a clear and comfortable understanding of a Higher Power. Many of us don't get 'that' but we do manage to develop rewarding relationships with a power greater than self by taking suggested action and praying anyway.
Today's reminder --- Information can be wonderfully enlightening, but it is not the answer to every problem. I will be honest about my motives today.
Today's quote --- from a Zen proverb --- "If you understand, things are just as they are; if you do not understand, things are just as they are."
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I am an admitted over-thinker. Right or wrong, arriving at Al-Anon with personal experience of the disease and AA recovery had me believing I 'had an upper hand' in resolving the insanity of this disease - IN OTHERS!! I had tons of knowledge about my people, this disease, recovery, etc. and yet I was still just another person affected by the disease of alcoholism with a level of insanity that broke me.
I have heard many times in life that Knowledge is Power. While that may be true for many things, more knowledge of this disease is just that - more knowledge. I can and have read more data that I care to admit and yet none of it matters as things are as they appear and the spiritual aspect of my program tells me that hope is always an option, and miracles do happen each and every day.
I am grateful for the gift of desperation that brought me to Al-Anon as well as for the tools we have. I am able today to just live one day at a time, take action for myself, be of service to others and allow God to take the lead. This is such a lovely way to live and a huge improvement over before recovery.
Make it a great day all - I seem to have woken up with a cold - so not excited about this...been a tough winter. I'm planning to take it easy and hopefully get rid of it fast. (((Hugs))) to 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
Good morning, MIP! IaH, thanks for your service today!
I thought I was really failing when I couldn't use my analytical skills and scientific approach to experimentation to mange my wife's alcoholism. I didn't understand that alcoholism was a disease, or what that really meant when I arrived at Alanon, desperate to find answers about what I was doing wrong.
Today, I am thankful for a program that allows me to place trust in my HP, and not worry about what the disease is doing or how to manage it. Some things are not for me to understand, and I am relieved to put the disease of alcoholism squarely into that category!
I hope everyone has a wonderful day today. I'm looking forward to a face-to-face step work meeting tonight.
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Skorpi
If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present. - Lao Tzu
God Morning IAH Great reading. i too believed that knowledge was power and tried to understand "WHY" something was going on, so I could control or change it. Enter program, I was handed new tools and found that by examining my"motives" that most of my actions were controlling and manipulative as my actions were never simply a response to a situation but performed in order to secure my will and my way.
Looking at my motives is an enlightening experience-- it is a tool I use every evening as I work the 10th step on my day
Thanks for your service. Enjoy the day
Thanks for the daily and all the ESH. I was also frustrated with myself. As a former professional in the field of mental health, why couldn't I fix my A???? I helped many people with their problems. The first Ah Ha moment in program was that I couldn't fix anyone, except for trying to fix myself.
Today I talked to my sponsor about a shortcoming of mine. I will be happy to hear some wisdom and ESH from her. I'm not sure I want to change this problem, because I know what it is and I even think I know the origins. The reading reminded me of the Nike slogan: Just do it! Put one foot in front of the other and walk. So life can be hard even though I know what I need to do. Program has pulled me out of denial and into reality. It's a good thing, but not always easy, Lyne
This is me! I have read so many books, and I've even been trained in motivational interviewing. I know of many different approaches to help people with addiction and I'm working in my masters. I'm so tired. My AH is in Gods hands, and things are going very well for him. This was a very good topic for me today.
Thank you for your service, IAH (I hope you get well soon!), and all the ESH. I used to be absolutely, unshakably sure that knowing intellectually, say, if I read something and kind of memorized it, was all I need to KNOW. This sure is a humbling thing for me, to finally see how much I know OF, and how little I KNOW. I didn't get the difference before. I expressed my frustration about this to my sponsor one day, I was feeling all my knowledge has been pretty useless regarding my emotional and spiritual well-being, but she pointed out that it's in fact very good to know of things, its just not enough! And yeah, I now see that, took me some days to get it! LOL. I used to think I'm quick-witted, my co-workers have pointed that out too! But not in the big things in life, that's for sure! I feel like a slug in these, but I'm on my way to accepting it and just starting almost from scratch in this life thing. ;D Thank you all for being a part of my journey :)
