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.
Today's reading covers the basics of the Second Step. It suggests that we open our minds to the possibility that help is available to do for us what we are unable to do for ourselves -- restore us to sanity. We don't have to believe that it will happen, only that it could happen. This glimmer of hope might show us that we are willing to move in the direction of recovery. This awareness of possibility might let us explore a relationship with a higher power, and this might become a regulare part of our lives -- where we have a realistic chance of sanity and serenity.
Today's 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."
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The Second Step is my favorite -- because for me it opens the window so I can see the light. There is a power greater than myself, and I am not trapped in a dark room with no way out.
I like the way today's reading takes a gradual approach. I don't have to jump out of that open window -- I just have to peek out and see that there might be something out there, something or someone I have not yet reached out to -- and that is my higher power.
Some days, my higher power is the internet, because there I can find the answers to so many practical questions that I cannot answer myself. But -- I have to use my critical reasoning, and not believe everything I read on a computer screen -- the same way I have to be careful who or what I make my higher power. In the past, I have made certain people -- maybe a spouse -- my higher power, and that didn't serve me well. But there are other people who are a valuable part of my higher power, because they help me see the possibility of hope for serenity. I just need to open myself up to other possibilities than the one thought I am stuck on at the moment.
Several years ago, on my birthday, a co-worker gave me a little fridge magnet that had the words "Believe in Possibility." I thought it was a meaningless phrase, but I kept it. I still have it. Now I understand it as another wording of the Second Step. And just now I am realizing that this co-worker -- who didn't know I had a sick alcoholic in my life or that I had others in my family with personal struggles -- was a part of my higher power. The message was there. Years later when I got into Al-Anon, I learned how to make that possibility a reality.
Good Morning Freetime. Thanks for daily/ESH and shares. You are what the doctor ordered. Dr. Higher Power that is...(smile). I often forget to invite my HP to guide me to a solution which causes me untold grief. Yesterday, my AH invited his cousin over to watch hockey playoffs tonight ...Our vaccinations aren't complete and we're still under lockdown... Short version: he's going ahead with the plan. I was flummoxed. I value good health. I trust HP will guide my tongue when I nix the plan...LOL Have a great day.
Thanks FT for your service and for all above ESH. I like this Step as well, and now with a number of years in program, I find that even if I can't Let go and Let God immediately when I am in turmoil, I know that in the near future I will be restored to sanity. I have come to believe this is true. And when things are difficult as they are now, and I'm unsettled, I know I in some amount of time, I will be fine. Grateful member.
Thank you Freetime for your service and your share. I also love to read how all of you here on MIP interpret this Step. Grateful that I can do this!
Freetime, your share of the magnet reminded me of this: Quite a long time ago, I saw a magnet while hubby and I were visiting a vacation town. It was the quote, "When a door closes, a window always opens." I remember just having the greatest desire to have that magnet!! I even went back to the store later in the day to eventually purchase it. It was also one of the few things that had to come with me, when I moved out of our family home. It is on my fridge... it reminds me daily to have Hope.
The window I was given was not what I truly desired. I have slowly come to accept that particular "window" was never available to me. I had to learn how to accept what was given to me, and make the best out of that. I am finding that now that I am emotionally safe, I am carrying a lot of resentment towards my HP for things not turning out how I would like them in my life. It has been a slow process for me to let that go.
For me, staying focused on my Gratitude List is what keeps me centered. I have many things to be thankful for!!
Happy Belated Birthday, btw!!
Happy Friday all!
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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 Freetime for your service and the daily. Thank you all for your shares & ESH. I have no concerns or issues in visiting 1-2-3 each day, simply upon awakening to remind me who I am, who I am becoming and who I want to be. I also believe that Step 2 is all about hope for me because it gives me an opportunity to 'come to believe'...
For so, so long, I tried to be self-reliant and all things to all people, places, things, problems, etc. It was just so exhausting and so defeating. I am the one who put me in this position and set myself up for continued frustration, feelings of failure and discontent. Today, as a person in recovery, no matter what is going on around me, I can get quickly to a place of knowing I am not in charge and I am not alone.
I always go to # 2 above - Hold On, Pain Ends. It's simple, floats to the front of my mind and was the first I heard for H-O-P-E. When I got to Al-Anon, my denial had denial and I was not ready to see or admit that I was a bit insane in my thoughts, actions, deeds, expectations, etc. I truly felt/thought that all others were the problem, not me. I resisted all the steps for a long while, because I did not want to change (fear). I'm grateful for the nudge from the God of my Understanding to be Honest, Open and Willing to a different way - which is HOW it works for me.
Happy Friday all - we've now gone straight to summer! Spent the morning golfing and headed to volunteer all afternoon/evening. 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
I certainly believe for a long time I did not see the possibility of working through my trauma. Then I started being willing
Being willing is so key
Being willing to do what I need to today in order to have s better life.
Thank you so much for your share
.maresie
Hi again everyone. Recently a member posted...."cultivate the gift of silence when speaking may aggravate the difficulty...". So HP guided me to keep quiet. I went on with my daily routine . Hubby's cousin called and canceled! Hubby said it was for the best due to Covid. Still not a peep out of me...Lesson: Practice pray, pause, and proceed. When I please my HP first, I please myself and respect others. Anyways, I am glad to have guides leading me (back?) to sanity. Thanks MIP.
PS: Pizza and hockey tonight LOL
I had an incredible experience today at AutoZone as I get my car ready for inspection I knew I had to change the engine and cabin filters in my car so I go down to AutoZone and I cost up $40 which I really didnt have the fan but oh well, I just keep looking at infinite supply to take care of me and I happened to walk outside and I am muttering to my higher power within me oh Lord I hope I can do this right. I think I can do it. Well this very nice African-American gentleman who is a mobile mechanic came up to me and he said would you like for me to supervise you and watch over you so you can learn to do these things for yourself and save some money and I was speechless I looked at him and I said oh bless your heart thank you so much. So he watched over me and he told me that I used great common sense doing what I was doing in that I was making note of how this looked and how that was positioned and certain configurations how they looked originally and Im talking to myself so I can pay attention and focus and I snapped those two filters in and Wala. I am good to go for maybe six months as little as I drive? He said I could go minimum six months on those things if not a year
There is hope if I open my heart and say yes abundance can come to me thank you higher power, and I just go with a hopeful and positive and I say all the time I can get better life can turn around for me abundance can come back to me and then I turn around and I think the universe for my divine right abundance that comes to me under grace and in perfect ways
Abundance, yes I need more money, but you know what? Abundance is also beautiful when it comes in the form of kind people and helping people and people who just are sweet and kind to me. I have had so much kindness and help given to me and I just love doing something for them in return like this gentleman today, I shared my incredible nice experience on the next door website and I showed him the link and he texted me back and said oh my god that is so nice what you did. And I said it was my pleasure and it did make me happy to do it for him. He didnt have to stand there and watch me do my thing with my car mentoring me and answering my questions he didnt have to do that but he did. And it pleased me to be able to do something for him. I got a big kick out of sharing my story on that website and I do hope he gets a lot of customers
Freetime... I love akronyms... and saw that word, firstly as "Help Others, Please Everybody." 
