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 writer recalled white knuckling the car armrest while riding a twisty, hilly road as a youngster. Such effort had no effect on the course the car took, much as many efforts and exertions in adult life upon events outside our control.
Alanon can help, however, especially noticeable when we can't control alcohol, others, or roll back time for redos. We can admit our powerlessness and turn it over to our higher power rather than try to change or alter.
As the driver in our own lives, we can steer our attitudes, mind, body and spirit and make amends where we've crossed others...change the things we can.
Reminder - We may be able to determine the things we can and cannot change by trial and error. Mistakes in this effort will add to our wisdom to know the difference.
"If a crisis arises, or any problem baffles me, I hold it up to the light of the Serenity Prayer and extract its sting before it can hurt me." - One Day at a Time --------------- Great, classic page...I can still remember white knuckling the mountain roads I grew up riding as a boy, great analogy for the futility of trying to will events outside of my control today and the loss of peace I suffer as a result of choosing this strategy.
Thanks to Alanon, my wisdom has grown and I struggle less, and less often, trying to steer my life's car by the armrest. The Serenity Prayer was my first program tool and still incredibly valuable and useful today to help face and address challenges today.
Life with Alanon is immeasurably better...I am truly grateful
__________________
Paul
"...when we try to control others, we lose the ability to manage our own lives." - Paths to Recovery
Thank you Paul for your service and important share. Oh but I tried to control others, and of course, especially my A. It not only didn't and couldn't help, but it allowed me to spiral downwards into a dark place. Thank God I finally had the courage to walk into my first meeting. I needed the wisdom, guidance, fellowship, etc, to undue what I had partly done. I was in my own form of denial, unable to see myself. Shifting that focus to myself was resented at first, but as the light came on, it was the only path to recovery. I'm thrilled to still be riding that wave. Progress not perfection.
