Hard Times

A lot of us are going through hard times right now: for some it is financial, for others it is health issues, then others are still grappling with the disease of alcoholism. But what we have in common are the tools of the Al-Anon program to help us deal with any fear and uncertainty that crops up. I myself am using the Serenity Prayer a lot. My current situation is dealing with the grief of losing a loved one, someone I was very close to, and at the same time having another close relative in the hospital. The hard part is that I'm also away from home so trying my best to just live one day at a time, not knowing if I'll be home for Thanksgiving or when I'll see my children or granddaughter again. The fact is that I can't even plan this afternoon, so forget about tomorrow. It's literally one day/one moment at a time. Yet I am grateful for the Al-Anon support I have where I'm at, just when I need it. And email to keep in touch with my sponsor back home as well as sponsees who give me more support than they realize. I also have a service project I can work on at my own pace, knowing that no one expects perfection from me. I also have a sober spouse who is taking care of himself while dealing with many of the same issues as I am. It's a blessing to know that "together we can make it," even when it feels like everything is in limbo - with the help of our HP we don't need to fall apart or lose our serenity or sobriety. I also know that even though I feel weak right now, I am learning to lean more and more on my HP's strength which comes in many forms - such as a great joke when I need a good laugh or a new baby born in the family just two floors down from where my relative is recoverying from surgery... so even though I feel like life is standing still, it is not. Life keeps moving forward and so do I. I continue to grow and learn, especially in the most difficult times. What really helps is knowing that I have a lot of people praying for me right now, so if you're so inclined, I need all the prayers I can get. But especially thanks for letting me share and listening even when I don't feel like I have much to give you - but that's "just for today" knowing that "this too shall pass."