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.
Todays reading is about the family of Alanon. There is a particular strength in being near people who can hear our stories and truly know where we have been.
Some of us may have had very strong families of origin, feel quite close to our family members but are disillusioned when we realize they may not completely understand what it is to live with an alcoholic. Others of us may have always felt a tenuous connection to our families of origin, so coming to Alanon also provided a familial connection that was missing.
For me, I appreciate that there is an unconditional acceptance in the program. I have been to meetings when I did not feel able to speak and that was okay, I have been to some when a speaker has gone on a tangent, and the group was patient. Because there are so many emotions involved when living with alcoholism, there is great support in a group that says we are all working on this together. You will find hope and strength here.
Good Morning Mary I do love the simple fact that ALANON acknowledges that from time to time our foo cannot understand the many difficulties we endure living with the disease of alcoholism. What a gift it is to attend alanon meetings and discover the close friendships that grew from people who truly understand and are supportive Thanks for your service Have a great day
Good morning MIP. Thank you Mary for todays reading and Betty for your share. Oh, I agree....our families and friends dont truly understand unless they have experienced living with alcoholism. Who could understand how powerful and cunning it is?
When growing up, I had a great uncle that was made great fun of. He was an alcoholic and usually made an ass of himself at every party. Oh, he and his behaviors were fantastic fodder and we looked at him with disdain. Well,, now living with an AH, I can see how I didnt understand and my hubby is probably spoken of the same way.
Our Alanon family gets it! There is no shame or judgement. We understand, we understand, we understand!
Happy Sunday to all! Going to rain all day here. No problem- its Spring!
Thank you Mary, for your service. I appreciate you!
Thank you too, Betty and El for your shares...
I found that family and friends loved to give advice about my situation. But they had not lived it... felt the actual dynamics of it! It was good to have Al-Anon people who many times, went through the very same things!! It is indeed a "shared experience."
I am grateful for the acceptance.
Warm one today. We missed our chance of rain, & I am wishing we would get some. Here in SOCAL, it seems like it's winter one day, and BOOM! Hello summer temps! Ugh! Sometimes I truly hate that true spring weather is just a passing fancy here. LOL! Yesterday was yard clean-up day. Today I hope to create another yard-art piece!
Enjoy your Sundays, MIP Peeps!
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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
This post is simple and powerful for me at the same time. Outing the idea and truth that the family while living fully thru the truth needed this program to fully understand it. I also had the benefit of college studies on this subject of how dysfunctional I was and how I got that way. Daily living with and in the disease and not knowing was the demise of peace of mind and serenity. I would not have it until I bowed and surrendered to the wisdom of our program.
The insanity became second nature and now, today, I have come to understand while at the same time knowing how to choose more useful and acceptable outcomes for myself and others.
I acknowledge the metaphor of today being the Resurrection day where I can rise above, better and different and happy.
Thanks so much to the Al-Anon Family groups and the fellowship which kept me at their knee teaching and guiding and helping me learn that I could have peace of mine and serenity and pass it on to others. Mahalo Akua...Thank You God. ((((Hugs))))
Thank you Mary for your service and the daily. Thanks to all for your shares and ESH. I went to a meeting this morning, and the topic was about FOO and the influences we arrive @ recovery with. It was a great meeting and as dysfunctional as my family is, I am grateful for the one I got.
What struck me in the meeting is that I did not choose my FOO but who I consider family today is quite extensive! I am blessed to have a huge recovery circle of family that I love, share, cry, vent, grow, heal and deal with. There are many different personalities and we still have issues, egos, etc. but for the most part, with a common goal, we work through it and keep loving, living, healing and growing.
I have learned to accept and love my FOO unconditionally. In spite of poor choices, laws broken, and a ton of chaos/drama, I still love each one as they are and accept them as they are. That's a gift recovery has given to me - I am no better than them, they are no worse than I - we are all uniquely designed by a power greater than one, living one day at a time, doing the best possible with what is given.
I am grateful I've grown my family and have a safe place to be me. I had a great Sunday and am contently horizontal watching TV to relax for the night. I hope everyone had a blessed 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
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