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 family! Today's reading is about Step 2 which is about possibility and hoe. We come to believe that a Power greater than ourselves COULD restore us to sanity. All that's asked is that we open our minds to the possibility that help is available. We don't have to believe that it WILL happen, only that it COULD.
This small amount of hope that puts a dent in the wall of despair shows we are willing to move towards healing. When we recognize that help exists, most explore a relationship with a Higher Power. Willingness can go a long, long way toward hope and faith being a permanent part of our ongoing lives. Sanity and Serenity become realistic with hope and a Higher Power.
Reminder: Our literature speaks of the possibility of finding contentment and even happiness through recovery in Al-Anon. Today I will take the Second Step in that process and open my mind to hope.
Quote from As we Understood: "Finding inner strength is looking beyond the visible and focusing life's search on the unseen."
Like many before me and many after me, I arrived at recovery with some 'mental baggage' regarding religion, faith, God, etc. Like many before me and after me, I felt I had walked this journey alone for a long, long while - abandoned by the God of my youth. What I came to understand, accept and embrace is I was not left alone, I chose to be alone.
It was not an intentional walking away or disdain for the teachings of my youth, rather it was a gradual, pulling over driven by self-will and ego. For some reason, at some point, I felt I knew better, could do better and would do better. While not a tragic outcome, this was certainly a path with many more road blocks and speed bumps than desired.
Recovery has taught me to keep it simple and embrace what is. I know now that when I feel alone or uncertain, I can reach out for help. My requests are as simple as I try to keep my life. I have learned to pray properly vs. for my wants and it works much better! My spiritual journey has NOT been a straight path or an easy path, yet it's been rewarding, and all I had to do was show up with an open mind and an open heart.
Happy Thursday all - we had our first incredibly HOT day yesterday, which zapped me during golf! We had showers overnight and it's much cooler this morning - window weather....a favorable gift! Love and light to all - make it a great 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
When reading today, I had this vision of a white flower, gently opening up... petal by petal. Kind of like those nature shows you can watch where they document the life cycle of a flower in super slo-mo!
I think of my journey like this.
Blazing hot here yesterday as well! Today is supposed to be a little cooler, with rain a possibility on Sat!!
I am thankful for my job everyday... but especially on the hot ones! 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
Thanks IAH for your service and great share. When I came to alanon I felt almost hopeless about my despair, but I had hope of being taught how to fix my A. NOPE! What I remember the most about my very first meeting 7 years ago, was that some of the group members seemed happy, confident, relaxed, yet they had been damaged by alcoholism as well. That's what gave me my first batch of hope. I guess the rest is history--finding an amazing sponsor who led me through the steps and encouraged me through my very difficult beginning. Continuing in F2F meetings showed me how people can navigate this horrible disease and come out with healing. It's a wonderful journey I'm pleased to continue on. Lyne
I came into al anon feeling pretty hopeless and desperate. The hope for me was held by the members I encountered here
It took me a long time to get up to hope.
This year has been particularly difficult for me. I have to remember I came into this program in a really hopeless state. I was close to giving up. This year I became particularly depressed and I was again close to giving up
I had this progran to hang onto
I am grateful for what I have.
Nevertheless I hope my life gets easier. I have had enough hardship for one year. Way more than enough.
I have also had it with shut downs. It was bad enough having the COVID shut down. For the past week I have had to deal with the civil unrest shutdown as well. That has caused me to have even more financial hardship. I had already had financial hardship then I got even more. I have had it with the city shutting things down and more financial hardahip. I have had to give up on knowing when the check will arrive (now it will be weeks) One more bombshell to add to months of bombshells all year
Maresie
I realise now- that i am looking at Step 2 is review; in retrospect.
I am not longer the person who crawled up the steps to the rooms of Alanon... ...I have strong memories of that person, which is me too. I have spent over half my life in Alanon... ...more recent memories have illuminated old ones.
I look over the past now with some gratitude. Not excited at all about the obstacles I encountered- but feeling proud that I was able to take the obstacles apart, and surmount them one by one.
Iamhere. Thank you so much for your service and your very powerful share. I swear, this could have been a post that I generated as I related to what you said 100%. I dont feel alone in my struggles with the first three steps because many people, as you say, before me and after me for sure struggle with the same thing.
I felt like God abandoned me too. But then I found out that it was a guy who disconnected from him and not the other way around but it took a lot of step work and honesty and open this and willingness for me to even arrive at that state of mind where it was not ever God abandoning me it was my disconnecting from him because I had lost my ability to trust in anything long long ago when I was just a little child. I could not trust anything. I am so grateful. So grateful that program has shown me that all the lies and deception and downright evil I endured as a child was not anything that God Had wanted for me at all. But he does not get involved in other peoples choices. I can make all the good or bad choices I want to make and I have to live with the consequences but when I can get humble and open and honest and willing, and do some pausing and breathing and praying and asking for guidance from my higher power, life does go a lot smoother. Like you said about the speed bumps, they are less jolting when I am in alignment with my higher power. Thank you so much for your powerful share here
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I am and y'all... 