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 tradition seven and the idea of being fully self-supporting. The page describes someone who learns to contribute to her own retirement. She develops ways to save money for herself and also spend on herself when she considered carefully the difference between wanting and needing something.
The idea that we are self supporting in our recovery is such a powerful one. I like the idea of contributing to my own recovery in the same way we contribute to our savings. If we set aside some money each time we receive some, over time there is an investment which has grown. If I set aside the investment in myself through the program- reading, writing, meetings, sponsor, then over time that investment in myself has grown and my recovery has strengthened as well.
I hope everyone enjoys their Sunday! Today I am working in the yard and practicing for summer vacation which starts for us in 3 weeks:)
Love all the Traditions and tradition 7 is a favorite . When my hubby passed , years ago i was not fully self supporting however thanks to alanon tools i soon learned how to budget and achieve my goals== I am so pleased with this program
Thanks for your continued service Mary
I am working on being fully self-supporting. For the first time in years, I regularly add to my savings. I have always paid my debts, but now I am working hard at paying them off and becoming debt free... it has become my obsession. I am figuring by this time next year, I will be in a MUCH better position. It is one thing that I have complete control over, and it is "OK" to embrace that control... so I like it! LOL!
Mary, my son graduated high school just last year, and I was pretty close with a few of his teachers, as well as have good friends who are teachers... I can still remember their feelings of giddiness when they would realize that they were just a few short weeks away from summer break! LOL! One teacher, who I admired greatly once told his class's parents (explaining the end of year curriculum), "I try and have most things tied up and I work to help any student who is behind and may need a little extra push to get missed assignments turned in for credit... b/c at this time of year, it is hard to get anything done..."Senior-itis" is a real thing, and even us teachers have our own form: "Teacher-itis!" He got a big laugh from that, but I knew he was right! LOL!
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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
Thank you Mary for your service and the daily. Thank you all above for your shares and ESH. I am grateful that my parents instilled in all of us as young ones to always put aside money for 'needs'...I have been blessed to be a saver since very young. I learned a valuable lesson in my first marriage - when we joined our lives, I put his name on my bank accounts. I had a savings and he did not. When we divorced 3 years later, because I added him instead of closing the account and opening new together, he was entitled to half of my savings I brought to the marriage!!! He was gracious enough to decline it but in our state, he was entitled to it! Live and learn.
When I married the 2nd time, we combined all properly. My AH is a spender and I am a saver. Each month since we've been married, I have put an amount equal to his 'spending' into a separate account IMNO (in my name only). This worked well for us and gave me a lovely nest egg as we set up our household to be funded by one of our incomes only.
It took me a lot of practice to budget my time for 'me'...I had long standing habits of doing for all others first, which when you are a mother, employee, wife, daughter, sister, cousin, friend, etc. leaves little/no time for self. Al-Anon taught me to put me first and to take care of me first and then to allocate my 'resources' carefully so as to not drain my tank! I do way better today but am still a work in progress! I do feel cheated if/when I change my routines so return to 'normal' as quickly as possible once Awareness sets in!
Happy Sunday all - the sun is out here and it's so grand to see it! We have 2-3 more days of storm chances and then hopefully we're in the clear for a bit. Make it a great day and keep your joy!
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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
I did part time work- from the age of 12- and learned the value of money. My next brother went out harvesting, at the same age- and came home at lunchtime... never to return- and I noticed that this this was different.
I have never been a blue collar worker; I was always a black singlet worker... and it was darned hard going at times... when young I was sensitive and intelligent- but NOT articulate. As I have earned to articulate- through meeting after meeting, this old self has slowly emerged with increasing confidence. I suppose Trad 7 can be about social capital as well- and intellectual capital. Spiritual too... ...
WhenI began here with MIP I went through the steps and traditions a few times. And I learned that trad. 7 was not just about the pass-it basket... it was about just about everything.
I was always so self-contained, and self-reliant- because I had to be- at a young age. I know I paid my own exam fees growing up. And I worked at home for nothing. So sharing and teamwork had to come a lot later.
I was on welfare three or four times in the first half of my life. I found that tough. Or government make-work schemes. I worked out on the railway tracks with crowbar, pick and shovel... and in later years I tried to make up for that shortfall.
My SO is a great manager of money too... and we now actually have provided for our retirement... so long as the economy holds up.
Much less passionate or romantic than what I would have wished... but aint we all in that boat! ...
But a good steady base- which what the traditions are too. I called them my backbone.
The old-timers here say: "Y'all caint live on love." ...
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