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.
I did some reading about the slogan, Just for Today. And yes, sometimes we are stuck Just for Today doing something we really don't like. The reading in Hope for Today said then we should look to make a change. We don't have to do something we hate day after day. Often it is fear that is holding us back. And one of the quotes said: Just for Today I choose to enjoy all this day has to offer.
So this slogan reminds me if I don't like what's going on today, seek and search and see what I can change. It's also reminding me of one day at a time. Whatever is going on today may be totally different tomorrow. Instead of giving my energy to fear, let me see what can be different. I like this slogan very much.
l have been, after each spasmatic encounter with the alcoholic spouse, using that slogan ... "Just for today I choose to enjoy all this day has to offer" and it has worked every time!!
Yesterday I had to do some vacuuming of the first floor and used the outlet I always use with a heavy duty extension cord. The outlet has always had a habit of getting warm but
this time it actually melted part of the outlet plate and deposited some plastic on the third prong of the plug, there was actually an odor. So I left the cord on the spouses desk
and later that evening, when he did not ask why it was there, told him what had happened. He went into an absolute rage, asking WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!! ARE YOU TRYING
TO BURN MY HOUSE DOWN and referring to me as goombah (stupid Italian) (I am Italian). I said nothing, walked away and have stayed to myself since, doing what makes me
happy. What I did do, which is something I should have done along time ago is I put up, in my little office, a big purple ribbon bow that symbolizes domestic violence, that gave me
comfort.
Hope you are well, glad to see you are still here on MIP!!
Thank you Lyne for the post, and Deb for the share.
Lyne, your post made me think. I have mostly used Al-Anon for helping me to detach with love (get out of my head, stop obsessing about what someone else is doing, or how they are, etc.), but it's been rare that I've followed that up with the actions that would take me into a better situation. I have rarely focused on the 'courage to change the things I can' part. Thank you for the reminder. It's been a long time since I had the courage to change things that didn't sit well with me on a daily basis. Now recent events have forced that to happen and it's so painful. Oh well.
