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.
This reading discusses the purpose of alanon, (to help families and friends of alcoholics), but how is this actually done? We are reminded to practice the 12 Steps, to learn to love ourselves, attend to our own spiritual needs, and then it is possible for others to see something special in us.
Next is to come to understand the alcoholics in our lives=be more loving, accept alcoholism is a disease, and attempt to respond with love and compassion. Then we can welcome and give comfort to others.
The reminder says in part, by being loving to myself, I can extend compassion to others.
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All the above words make sense to me, but in all honesty, this took a number of years in program to be able to do this some of the time. If I look back to year one in alanon, this seemed like a foreign language. Ten years later now, I can do this most of the time. For me this has taken focus, practice, and a desire to change. Progress not perfection, ODAT.
Lyne, thank you for your service and ESH. For me, too, it took time, and work, and more time, and more work before I was able to develop compassion for the alcoholics and those affected -- and for myself. I still have my moments where old attitudes leak through -- but now I can quickly catch and redirect my attitude.
Thank you Lyne for the Daily and to all who shared their ESH.
For me, I could not even attempt this until I was safe from the fallout. Then healing could begin.
It will be a short week due to the holiday. Looks like rain for Xmas, and with Omicron spreading, that means no gathering of family (we were planning on an outside, distanced gathering) It hardly rains in CA, & now this. I am a little mad TBH, but I remind myself to allow the day to play out... knowing CA, all this talk of rain may actually pan out to nothing!! I hope that the MIP Family will all enjoy the holiday in their own way, safe from health concerns and emotional pits!
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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
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