Al-Anon Lifer

Anonymous sharings from a long-time member of Al-Anon, which is a safe place to recover from the effects of alcoholism in a friend or relative...

Saturday, February 10, 2007

Creativity?

I'm back, at least for today. I've been busy - a good excuse. Actually, I've been decluttering my lfie so I can be more creative. Sitting in my meditation chair this morning, I was wondering what to do today - one of those free days with no have-to's - and all my program readings pointed to being creative. So here I am, creating something. But what? I know I'm a writer, but I don't write much. So maybe I'll just share a poem I wrote years ago in February when we were experiencing similar weather, then I'll comment.

Fog in Denver

Fog in Denver
As rare as depression due to the weather
Stretching across the city's sprawl
Surrounding every house in every development
Every car backing out of every driveway
Obscuring the street signs, the stoplights
The front range, the mountains
Leaving us directionless and feeling alone
Some grumble, squinting and straining to see what they cannot
Others fear the hundred-car pile-up that comes out of nowhere
(Maybe cause it themselves)
The rest, though, know it will lift
They endure, enjoy the solitude, the slowing down
Remembering they are not in charge
Grateful for the sun that shines
Most the time, in fact, all the time
Above the fog
In Denver


(c) 2007 Al-Anon Lifer

Hmmm... my thoughts toward the fog this week (before it turned to smog) were that of the God of my understanding, my HP who I've begun to call my GP, my Greater Power, because she is not above me but surrounds me, like fog. I don't have to worry about seeing or being anywhere but in the moment, in my current space, in my chair with a light to read by, perhaps a candle, sometimes with my dog on my lap, but mostly with my hands around my coffee cup, thinking, meditating, open to the possibilities of the rest of my life, no, just the rest of my day.

I am free, totally free, and for that I am grateful. My children are grown. I don't have to work. My spouse is sober. I can indeed keep it simple, or I can complicate my life again if I so choose... but why? What the fog is teaching me is that I don't have to see very far to feel safe. In fact, I feel safer when I can only see my immediate surroundings. Like the old days before satellite TV when we didn't know what was going on "over there," when we didn't feel so helpless or guilty or small. When we had very few choices...

I've been struggling this last week with simplifying my technology... reducing the phone lines, reducing the costs, reducing the stealers of time and energy... and I feel lighter, similar to when I let go of a resentment, like I did again this last week of my blood father whose behavior I blamed for my own bad behavior, most of my life. But no longer. I'm done, not just with the relationship, but with the idea that another person can have that kind of power over me. I am free, free to let my GP help me become, finally, the person I was always meant to be. Me.

5 Comments:

At Saturday, February 10, 2007 1:26:00 PM, Blogger Tennessee Santa said...

I never thought fog could make me fell warm comforatable and protected until I read your blog today. Thanks

 
At Saturday, February 10, 2007 9:45:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thank you Al-Anon Lifer, I especially like your name. Al-Anon Lifer. I started AlAnon when my husband was drinking to get him to stop. He did, and then I stopped Al-Anon. He stopped AA and here I am back in AlAnon for life myself!! He is a dry drunk, or maybe a semi-dry drunk. But I love reading your posts!! I hope you can keep it up. It's very helpful to me. Thanks

 
At Saturday, February 10, 2007 10:21:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

{{I love this post}}
You sound wonderful Al-Anon lifer:)
I hear simplicity in the works for you ..how serene is that?
I read that creativity page from the Courage to Change also..I was going to post snipets of it because I was sooooooo happy to be reminded of that ..our recovery isn't meant to be allllllll work now is it> no way ..we need creativity to cope ..to embrace and enhance who we each are.I am so happy you shared your poem..keep writing and keep sharing :)

 
At Sunday, February 11, 2007 8:55:00 AM, Blogger Jenni said...

Good to hear from you again. I also have a greater power, the word, greater instead of higher, helps me to be "just me" but still a part of something bigger and it tells me that I've got everything I need right here in and around me. Thanks for the reminder.

 
At Wednesday, January 29, 2014 8:42:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I like the name alanon lifer.i also came to alanon to stop my husband' s drinking. .he stopped his drinking and I stopped coming into alanon. Now he is not ib AA but I am actively involved in alanon. .This is just my Higher Power's way to get me into alanon again after nearly 12 yrs of break. .life is moving in right direction. . Though I have to face many problems in work place continued service of alanon helps me to mske things easier. . This blog is very helpful to me while I'm travelling from home to work place and bavk as there are many ups and downs at both end but with the help of alanon literature meetings and now this blog and my Alanon friends life is smoother. Thank you very much for this blog.

 

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