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 everyone and Happy Mother?s Day to all who are celebrating!
Today?s reading is about how a willingness to change our perspective about a situation may make all the difference in how it feels to us. The writer describes moving to a new place and feeling sad, noticing a tree that looks very different than the knew he/she is accustomed to. It seems ugly and barren, and a sign of the hopelessness of the situation. After some time the writer decides to try and see the tree in a new light. Now the uniqueness of the leaves and the strength of the trunk became noticeable. The beauty of the tree became apparent. The writer decided to take a look at his/her situation in the same way, and the change in perception helped put a positive foundation to the entire day.
This reading had me thinking about how many of us have been isolated in our homes in the past couple of months. To say that the situation has felt bleak is an understatement. All many of us have our question marks- about our jobs, health, communities. If I am able to see my situation from a different perspective I can see that in this time I have had my children with me, time to practice piano and read books, run and watch shows that I like. I?m not able to teach my students in person, but have grown in my relationships with colleagues as we plan lessons together every week. Just as acknowledged in the thought for the day, when I am feeling uncertainty or anxiety about this or any situation, I can turn to the serenity prayer and pray for the ?wisdom to know the difference.?
Honestly Mary, I was a little fearful when I did not see your smiling Avatar this morning! LOL!
Glad to hear that you are finding ways to be productive and sane in these trying times!!
This reading is an especially good one for these times we're in!!! It's all about perspective!
Thank you for your service, and stay well!
PS: I hope that you have a wonderful Mother's Day, no matter how it's celebrated!
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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
Thanks, Mary, and P. Through these difficult times. ...
Down one end of our valley is a walnut tree- on the edge of a lake. One day a walnut must have rocked up on the shore- and taken root.
The Lake was not always there... there was once a river down there that was flooded by a hydro-electric dam. The tree stands in mute testimony to the power of nature. Someone tended it one year- and pruned it into shape. This autumn someone else picked up a few nuts from underneath it's branches.
I am so grateful, today, that my mind is furnished with these thoughts- like leaves on the tree designed to catch the rays of the sun!
Thanks for your service Yanksfan. Perspective is everything and today especially I need to shake off "the glooms" and refocus.
I feel like everything sucks today. Am I an awful mother for thinking this is the one day when escaping ones children should be mandatory? Lol. I'd like that. Its not happening. OK. Then there's my own mother. Don't want to think about it! I hate this day. It will pass. Must find the flip side.
Thanks Mary for your service and all the posts were great. I think along with changing our perspective, comes changing our attitude. If I cant make lemonade from lemons, I will get really stuck. Cause there are lots of lemons! I also have to ask myself, how important is it, and how do I want to feel? Miserable or calm? Im not saying I can always do this LOL, but Im trying. Progress not perfection comes to mind as well. There are horrible things all aroundI can focus on those OR I can look at the sun shining today, the leaves blowing from the wind, and think about the walk outside Im going to take with my dogs in a little while. I must confess, the dogs always help! Lyne
Thank you Mary for your service and the daily! All I know is the attitude I wake up with or choose if necessary makes a difference in my perspective of 'how the day is going or went' upon reflection. My attitude affects how I receive events, words, actions, deeds and my attitude generally affects my ability to just be a part of instead of expecting more.
It's so easy to revert back to my patterns of thinking of BR (Before Recovery) if I'm not actively practice recovery! Life can be hard, and things happen that I used to take personally and today, I just am better tooled to roll with the flow and find gratitude in all that is.
Thanks to all for the ESH and shares! We are 100% allowed to have our feelings - good, bad, indifferent - yet, what I practice today is to not get bogged down in letting 'it' magnify in my mind and spoil my day! (((Hugs)))
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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
Thanks, Mary, and P. Through these difficult times. 
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