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My sister and I have
decided we must return to Al-Anon meetings.
To begin at the beginning with Step One: “We admitted we were powerless
over alcohol-that our lives had become unmanageable. For those who have
never experienced Al-Anon this is a quote, word for word, from their book,
“Hope for Today.”
Thought for the day on this page:
Step One encourages me to build my life in a balanced perspective.
With the understanding that alcoholism is a disease, and with the
realization that we are powerless over it, as well as other people, we are
ready to do something useful and constructive with our own lives.
Alcoholism and Family Disease, p.3
January 18.
This was the only thought I remembered from my first Al-Anon meeting: We
can learn to live at peace with ourselves and with others. “Live at peace
with ourselves and others?” I wondered. “How do people do this?” From my
alcoholic beginning in my own family and workplace I had never experienced
a peaceful life. With myself, I was constantly fighting against the guilt,
fear, and anger that ruled my life. With others, I was always fighting for
some cause or belief, trying to make them see that my position was the
right one. Of course, I never won, and the wars never ceased.
When I first came to Al-Anon, I finally found the peace I desired so
much. Al-Anon taught me that the path to peace is accepting the people,
places, things and situations I cannot change. Accepting myself as I am by
working Steps Four through Nine, freed me from my self-inflicted inner
judge and jury. Accepting others with the use of the Serenity Prayer
allowed me to stop fighting. Acceptance allows God to do what I cannot.
Acceptance opens the door for my growth and leads me on my spiritual
journey, one day at a time.
Accepting the things I cannot change is not always easy; sometimes I
really fight it. Because my life is always changing, there is always some
new person or situation to accept. Fortunately I don't have to go through
the acceptance process alone. My Higher Power provides the power, Al-Anon
provides the path, and the people in the program provide the support. All
I need to experience peace is to keep coming back.
Thought for the Day
Peace is a natural outgrowth of acceptance.
“Acceptance comes through the comfort we receive from members at
meetings when we slowly begin to understand and care about ourselves and
others...”
Alateen Talks Back on Acceptance, p.3 |
