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.
Tomorrow's reading is another reminder for us to focus on just one day at a time - this very day. I really like the quote from Just For Today --- "Just for today I will try to live through this day only, and not tackle all my problems at once."
The reminder -- An old maxim says, "It'll shine when it shines." If I am willing to listen, I will receive all the information I need when the time is right. "Just for today" I will know that I'm in good hands.
The writer shares that it would be awesome to have infinite wisdom and how cool it would be to see everything before us with a clear path and inside knowledge on how best to spend each moment of each day. Yet, we are reminded in meeting after meeting that all we truly have is today to work with. We don't know what tomorrow will bring and we're probably better off not knowing. If we knew what was coming in the future, we might spend all our time trying to run from anything painful - instead of living.
We are reminded to trust our Higher Power to lead us through today so that we will be prepared for the future when it arrives. We will be able to work with whatever it brings and this spiritual part of recovery allows us to enjoy the many gifts life offers us today instead of worrying!
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I freely admit that before recovery, I was constantly stuck in the past or worried about the future. I never considered living today, just in this day as I considered myself a planner and problem solver. I really thought I was 'adulting' and was what was proper.
Hearing how living one day at a time frees us to enjoy the present was intriguing. I seriously thought it was flawed logic yet I came with so much pain I figured what the heck. I worked with my sponsor and trusted program friends to keep bringing my mind to the here/now instead of the woes of the past or future tripping and it was all about practice, practice, practice. I am still a work in progress but I am better today than before.
Today, I spent the majority of the day with the youngest grandson. He's almost 3 and he's adorable and a busy, busy boy usually. Yet, he was a pleasure and so much fun as we had one on one time. Our day reminded me that when mine were little, I was a full time mom, full time employee, full time maid, cook, etc. and was far from spontaneous and missed many of these type of moments. I didn't feel sad, as I figure when we know better we do better and felt gratitude that I am open to whatever presents itself, including playing with a little one all day long!!!
I am grateful daily that my pain was great enough when I began working recovery to help me keep an open mind. I am very grateful for those who came before me and showed me how to adult with joy, grace and dignity. Have a great day all - off to golf in the AM and PM tomorrow.
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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
Perfect. It strikes me that the only way I can predict the future is to base it on past experiences and that's a great way to stay mired in all of the dreadful stuff that wasn't working for me in the first place. Staying in the now is the only way to change the pattern, in fact!
Thanks for the reminder.
I still see me stuck in past (anger, grieving etc) and fearing the future (what bomb is gonna hit me next?? what disaster is on its way???) the GOOD news is that it isn't as bad...the bad news is is that its a battle to stay RIGHT in the NOW...NOWHERE else!!!!! practice practice practice....just keep making me , forcing me to stay present....
I am having outside wood repairs done and inside, 2 areas of sheetrock repairs...I see all the dryrot and wood damage on my decorative boards that kinda stick out , 3 of them in a triangle formation, and my handyman is digging all the dry rot out so he can "box" them with plywood over the bad...Well, I am thinking the worst...house is falling apart, etc., fearing the worst, and he has to assure me that yea, I have dry rot and bad wood, but it isn't bad...fixable.......I like what MellyBobelly says about "base it on past experiences" and I think that is spot on for me....my past was putrid at best, so I base my future on my past which was horrid....but I must realize and teach me that I was very very sick then...I am healing now....I CAN change my karma...I CAN make a better life and "nonresistence" is a must...Don't fight it....ride it out if need be...work what options I have.....or just walk away.....its a battle....making me stay in the moment....when I can manage to do it??? I am at peace....these old patterns of mourning my past or fearing the future are going to , ARE hard to break......I will be in recovery, trying to undo this damage for the rest of my life....and there is no such thing as destination, its a journey.............
I was and still am a big planner aka (control) My life always always becomes much easier if I just focus on what is right in front of me instead of rehashing the past in my mind or projecting worst case scenarios. Sometimes I am pleasantly surprised how things go and then feel foolish for all the stewing did about everything.
If I could remember to live more like the little children live l (eat, play, live, learn, sleep when tired, and immerse myself in the moment), what a great way to live.
Thanks IAH and for all above shares. In the past I never saw the day I had. I was obsessed with all the hurts from the past, and worry about the future. What an awful way to live! Now with several years of program under my belt, I try to just deal with the day I have. I can't do it perfectly because I definitely have setbacks, but I appreciate the progress. I can get so caught up in stressing, that I can lose track of all my wonderful tools. If I can pause and breathe I have everything I need, Lyne
Really enjoying today's daily and everyone's shares! Thank you IAH and everyone else for your ESH!
As I was reading, I see a couple of you are big "planners." I chuckled at your share b/c I am one too!! Oh, it has it's benefits to be sure, but on most days for me, this behavior trait keeps me future tripping on things. That leads to worry.
I am grateful that today I have a new way of looking at things! Most days I can turn the future tripping around so that I don't get mired in the worry. It does take "work" to keep living day to day, in the here and now... but I am finding more and more that it is worth it!
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"The wolf that thrives, is the one you feed." - Cherokee legend
"Hello, sun in my face. Hello you who made the morning and spread it over the fields... Watch, now, how I start the day in happiness, in kindness." Mary Oliver
Hello IAH Love your reminder that when you looked at the past you did not feel regret because you learned the lessons and when you" knew better you did better" so did I Great page and tool for processing the moment
