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.
AlAnon is a spiritual recovery program that yields miracles after persistent, consistent thought and effort. This can be compared to the work of a stone cutter who may strike a stone 99 times with no apparent effect before the rewarding break on the 100th.
Acceptance of Alcoholism as a disease, acceptance, and other challenging concepts may be completely foreign in the beginning. These may not become a natural response perhaps for months or longer, even with regular meeting attendance, reading and meditation. But they will materialize if we keep coming back to work on them.
Today's page encourages us to keep coming back to learn these new behaviors and attitudes so we can eventually enjoy the benefits of recovery.
Quote - "Try to be patient with yourself and your family. It took a long time for the disease of alcoholism to affect each and every one and it may take a long time for everyone to recover." - Your and the Alcoholic Parent
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My grandfather often told me it takes 7 days to form a habit but 7 years to break it. This is certainly how it feels at times.
I have benefited incredibly from following the encouragement of this page and Step 11 to spend time daily with the spiritual concepts of the AlAnon. This was true even before I had fully formed my concept of a higher power or how everything would fit together as an atheist in a spiritual recovery program.
The reality was that there is so much practical wisdom and guidance in AlAnon that I begin to benefit immediately upon introducing it in my daily routine. Not miracles at first, but certainly a gradual easing of the desperation, anxiety, resentment and sadness that had become unbearable.
By coming back daily to AlAnon's resources of recovery, I have been able to see positive changes in my attitudes, responses, and behavior that I know are far different from the path of my own design.
I am so grateful for the wisdom and guidance of the program, so glad I kept coming back
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Paul
"...when we try to control others, we lose the ability to manage our own lives." - Paths to Recovery
I have to remind myself I didn't get here overnight or alone for that matter it took years to form my perspectives from my life experience with others, so changing those will not happen overnight. One of my favorite quotes from AA and their opening is "sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly" those 4 words stick in my mind daily as a reminder to be gentle with myself as I look to challenge myself and take the steps forward to change.
Make it a great day unless you have other plans,
S :)
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Faith minus vulnerability and mystery equals extremism. If you've got all the answers, then don't call what you do "faith". - Brene Brown
"Whatever truth you own doesn't own you" - Gary John Bishop
I continue to use Al-Anon principles in my daily life, so I keep coming to keep these thoughts fresh.
I have also seen positive growth in my behaviors!
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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 Paul for your service and for sharing what your grandfather taught you. That makes so much sense to me. I find the damage from alcohol can only be arrested by my daily involvement with alanon. And from that, I have an inner peace and confidence that I never knew before, or that was possible. When I arrived at program, I was so lost. Now I have such a different and better life. Of course I have progress not perfection, and try and take ODAT, but thats fine. Its a huge improvement as to what I lived with before recovery.
Paul, thank you for sharing and for putting "Keep Coming Back" in the headline. When I first heard those words, I thought it was an empty phrase, that the Al-Anon members were just being polite -- or maybe a bit cult-like -- when they said that to me.
Now I realize that this is what it takes to experience the miracles. To me, a miracle is something that occurs that I could not have imagined before it happened, and could not have understood that it was possible. It does take work, time, and patience for all this Al-Anon stuff to sink in. And I cannot predict when the miracle will occur. But I have seen enough of them by now, so I have confidence that they can happen again, and I understand that I do not know what they will look like because they are beyond my current understanding.
I always feel a bit inadequate when I say to a newcomer, "Keep coming back." I know they cannot understand right now what this means. But I say it anyway, because I know that is how it works.
Good morning MIP....thank you Paul for your service and the daily. I used to think that 'Keep Coming Back' was just a nice thing to say to one another in recovery. I know believe that it's a necessary tool for my program/recovery. At any point I stop doing that which worked well for me in this program, there is the start of a 'slippage' in me that can lead me backwards in seeking/using unhealthy tools to respond to life. It has taken me a really, really long time to admit, own and embrace that I am a better version of me when I practice some suggestion, step or other related to recovery each and every day.
It has taken me a while to have healthier habits - yet, I too see progress! It's almost automatic that I take the time to pray each morning and each evening. I can admit that I've fallen asleep during my night time efforts - and that's OK. If I have learned nothing new today, I do believe and trust that progress is the best for me - perfection is a slippery slope for me as it's what I wanted so desperately before! Perfect life, home, family, job, retirement, etc. - always spinning my wheels towards unattainable ideas.
So, I will keep coming back always. I learn something every time I come to MIP, go to a meeting, meet with a sponsor/sponsee, etc. If my mind is open, and I practice humility, learning continues and that's a good thing for me! Love and light all - I've golfed already and am planning a nap shortly! I've been having some issues with night time sleep and have no issue practicing self care and trying to catch a bit more by day! We do have cooler weather and that's so, so awesome! That heat is exhausting for me! (((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
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