tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-346479652012-01-19T04:03:57.634-07:00Anonymous 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...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1331100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-35880412289815204012011-12-22T17:58:00.001-07:002011-12-23T18:03:40.379-07:00

I might have more than two decades of Al-Anon under my ever-expanding waistline, but that doesn't mean I can go it alone, especially around the holidays. I might have seven sponsees who come to me for advice and wisdom, but that doesn't mean I have it made, especially around the holidays. The holidays can be hard enough for normal people, but for those of us who grew up with alcoholism or

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-77364533457841135532011-09-12T18:44:00.001-06:002011-09-12T18:46:50.726-06:00

My flowers are blooming again with the cooler weather. The windows are open rather than the A/C being on. A few leaves on my shade tree are turning gold. I can move my office off the dining room table and back upstairs. I love it. I made it through another summer. I also made it through some rough weeks there in August when my thoughts and emotions were riding the roller-coaster in my head. I

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-53356387678075754332011-08-01T18:24:00.000-06:002011-08-01T18:24:52.622-06:00

Has it really been over two months since I blogged here?  I guess I haven't had many issues to deal with this summer, or I haven't had any ah-ha moments. Actually, I did have one old issue to deal with, my own irritability. I'm over it now, but I found myself jumping back into old behavior for a couple of weeks in July. I wanted to blame it on the heat and humidity, but I have central A/C plus a

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-78424492686846141172011-05-22T12:36:00.000-06:002011-05-22T12:36:11.374-06:00

I just had a great visit with an Al-Anon friend. After a couple of hours of sharing with a little bit of crying, I remembered something that has helped me in the past: to laugh at the crazy people in my life. I remembered how much it helped to take this stance when my spouse was toward the end of his drinking days. Although quite intelligent, he would say the stupidest things in his denial. My

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-22672211191479275792011-05-11T11:09:00.000-06:002011-05-13T14:26:11.952-06:00

So I'm visiting my mother-in-law for Mother's Day weekend and not only does she take a bad fall but I fall and end up with stitches and on crutches. Before our mishaps I was about ready to call my family 200 miles away and plan a get-together, against my sponsor's wishes as well as my counselor's recommendation to "stay away." The message I got from my Greater Power? Stick with the people who

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-6442991517772061842011-04-18T17:22:00.000-06:002011-04-18T17:22:01.248-06:00

I know that recent readings in Al-Anon's daily readers have spoken about treating one's parents the way we wished they had treated us, but I was reminded by my sponsor today that I've already done that, over and over again. The problem is the reaction I get from them is just more of the same - judgment, criticism, and blame. I've made my amends for my part and shown them compassion, but now it's

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-54277163693271184602011-04-07T09:36:00.003-06:002011-04-07T09:56:06.710-06:00

We have woodpecker problems. No matter what we've done to get rid of them, they come back every spring. This has been going on ever since we moved into our dream house. You could say that our struggle with the woodpeckers has been a bit of a nightmare.But just like recurring resentments, our attitude towards the woodpeckers makes all the difference. We can get angry and start throwing rocks,

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-31562313129335591892011-03-26T14:20:00.006-06:002011-03-28T09:18:54.226-06:00

I've heard it said that we don't say "No" to Al-Anon service work. When someone asks us to do something for the program, to give back, we should step up to the proverbial plate. It's true that we often get back more than we give in doing service, but only if we take care of ourselves first.This is how our program differs from Alcoholics Anonymous. Their disease is a selfish one, so to recover,

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-40853112114458991912011-02-05T09:05:00.003-07:002011-02-05T09:20:29.515-07:00

I read in Hope for Today yesterday that we do not get serenity by chance, but by choice. But choosing serenity is more difficult than just saying the Serenity Prayer. We need tools to get us there. We need to practice using these tools. Some of mine are from Al-Anon, others are from elsewhere. They are:-Be Mindful, Be Aware of Your Current Surroundings - What Do You See, Smell, Taste, Touch, or

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-51489712296051888822010-12-07T15:47:00.004-07:002010-12-07T15:51:03.307-07:00

I discovered something while on a road trip over the Thanksgiving holiday when I wanted to talk to my sponsor but neither was alone nor had good cell service: I remembered what she always told me, that I was loved unconditionally by her as well as lots of others. So I decided to text that to myself, not knowing it it would work. But it did! I then locked the text so I can't delete it and I have

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-46177842555290814872010-11-13T15:31:00.003-07:002010-11-13T15:46:26.749-07:00

Now that the leaves are off the shade tree in my front yard, I have a better view of the neighborhood. As we go into winter, not only has my little dog wanted more to eat, the wild animals are feeding on whatever they can find. Or in the case of the local foxes (and raccoons and skunks...) whatever my animal-loving neighbor will feed them.She thinks she's helping them by giving them hot dogs and

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-18725471851473553462010-11-05T20:21:00.002-06:002010-11-05T20:36:57.740-06:00

I was asked for my experience, strength, and hope on sponsorship, specifically what to do if one's sponsor doesn't seem to be available anymore. As a sponsor myself, I make sure I don't take on another sponsee unless I have the time they seem to need. Communication is the key, something we Al-Anons aren't always good at because of our broken relationships due to alcoholism. But we get to practice

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-452648502190802552010-11-02T17:30:00.004-06:002010-11-02T18:09:36.571-06:00

Here in Colorado, we've had an exceptionally long and warm fall. It is two days after Halloween and we still haven't had a hard frost, at least not in the Denver metro area. And although I'm enjoying it because fall is my favorite season, it's starting to mess with me. As a person no longer working, I have options as to what to do with my days. Which means that I can procrastinate forever when

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-5998893721349257962010-09-21T09:14:00.002-06:002010-09-21T09:30:22.495-06:00

Wow, I had no idea it had been so long since I blogged. Guess I've been doing really well so had nothing to say - ha! ha! Actually, I've just been very busy, mostly with traveling. Not a lot to complain about, well, except physical pain which has given me a different kind of humility.I've judged others who are in chronic pain for no apparent reason. I've thought that they should exercise more,

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-17542697092462349002010-05-06T08:47:00.002-06:002010-05-06T09:15:03.585-06:00

My blood father has come and gone and I am just now starting to regain my serenity, which to me is my goal in recovery. It turns out that the reason I was fearful of being alone with my father isn't for what he would say to me, but for what I would say to him -and how I would say it. The good thing that came out of his visit and a serious conversation we had one day was that I finally killed the

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-72720334839061043362010-03-26T12:16:00.003-06:002010-03-26T12:31:24.318-06:00

Now that my blood father's visit is less than two weeks out, I have finally found some compassion for him with an exercise I came up with while reading Survival to Recovery.I pictured my father as a 7 or 8-year-old boy whose father died from dust pneumonia during the dust bowl of the Depression. I was the same age when my father left the family not to return.Then I pictured him as a 14-year-old

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-52597476988727458842010-03-18T15:11:00.004-06:002010-03-19T09:06:21.580-06:00

Many of the amends I need to make center around letting go of the past. It's time to give myself and others a second chance.In Al-Anon, I learned to take care of myself even around people with whom I have a long and painful history.If disagreement occurs, I can use my program to help me make decisions I won't regret.I know I can ask my Higher Power for help with this letting go process.Today I

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-32395614814974866122010-03-14T14:21:00.004-06:002010-03-14T14:39:19.605-06:00

Okay, so I set my boundaries for my blood father to visit and he decided to respect those and we're in the process of making plans. But now that his visit is less than a month away, I'm experiencing the schizophrenic behavior that adult children of alcoholics often go through. One minute I'm this little girl stamping her feet and yelling obsenities or crying, remembering my feelings as a child as

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-41576811356160320722010-03-01T17:08:00.002-07:002010-03-01T17:30:39.747-07:00

I made it through February, which to me is the darkest month of the year. It has less to do with being the dead of winter than with being the month my life changed as a child, when my parents got divorced and we left our house for good. I figured this out a few years back through therapy, so now I'm hypervigilant about taking care of myself every February. And this year, I didn't get depressed!

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-19327931631884953022010-02-10T11:30:00.003-07:002010-02-10T11:44:42.680-07:00

Right now, Just for Today, I feel like I'm in the exact same place I was when I started this blog several years ago. I'm still dealing with unresolved issues with my blood father whom I haven't seen in a decade. Yet, I'm not spiritually in the same place. I've made a lot of progress. For example, this morning when I woke up earlier than usual, feeling down, I decided to change my mood through

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-48807933590388831082009-12-22T17:05:00.002-07:002009-12-22T17:18:40.819-07:00

Something's happening and it's "magical"...First, I asked God for a good parking spot last week at the busiest shopping mall in town because I had a quick errand, not much time, and had had a particularly difficult day (having nothing to do with the holiday season). I got a front row spot immediately. So when I left, I prayed that the person getting my spot would be someone else who was having an

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-20369225695783603652009-12-07T09:13:00.002-07:002009-12-07T09:17:21.949-07:00

My sponsor tells me I'm grieving my relationship with my parents, that it will never be what I wanted as a child, a young adult, and now a middle-aged woman. I realized at a meeting yesterday that being sad, which is a feeling one gets from grief, is okay. That I can still be serene. In other words, serenity doesn't mean happiness - jumping up and down with joy. It means contentment and

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-90836534787611817542009-11-30T19:01:00.002-07:002009-11-30T19:08:45.630-07:00

I discovered more about myself yesterday, that by putting up walls with my parents to protect myself, I had also prevented any kind of love or affection to get through. As I replaced those walls with boundaries during the time they were here, I let some "good" through and was still able to keep out the "bad".As in most things "Al-Anon", it had to do with my attitude and my choices. I have to say

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-82137728294920622202009-11-28T09:52:00.003-07:002009-11-28T10:04:18.215-07:00

I usually sleep until 7 a.m. but I heard a thump this morning at 5:30 and it was my mother falling down the stairs. Well, she just missed the last step. She's okay with her feelings bruised more than anything. But you'd have thought the world had come to an end. So I'm TIRED and now ANGRY after trying to have a quiet time and listening to about the 100th complaint in the last two days about my

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-24836657644951250462009-11-27T16:05:00.004-07:002009-11-28T07:44:51.005-07:00

Step 12 says to "practice these principles in all our affairs." The word "all" would mean holiday visits with family members, even those we don't like. I tried to put my finger on what exactly I didn't like about my mother last night as I watched her behavior at my Thanksgiving table. It wasn't her politics, although I disagree with those. My husband and father were having a lively conversation

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-60846314034111955882009-10-20T15:18:00.002-06:002009-10-21T11:53:49.340-06:00

Number 1: After a long spiritual drought over the summer, or so it felt, I learned something new while working Step 9 in September – that my amends to my blood father need only be that I forgive him, period. This does not require that I call him or write him, for direct contact with him usually ends with my being harmed.This goes well with making amends to myself, that I forgive and love myself

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-5802142094751969592009-08-19T18:38:00.003-06:002009-08-19T18:47:47.565-06:00

Okay, I've been playing it safe for too long. Even though that is what I needed when I first came into Al-Anon and for many years. To be with and interact with people like myself who had agreed to treat each other with mutual respect in order to recover from the effects of someone else's alcoholism. But now, now that I've practiced "correct" behavior through service work and around my family

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-21247892913276230912009-07-31T10:07:00.002-06:002009-07-31T10:26:44.479-06:00

My sponsor keeps reminding me to not compare myself to others, that God and I are the only ones who need to approve of me. So what happens when I don't think God or I approve of me? I can do something to change that, if only my attitude. Some days it is all I can do to just say that I'm okay just the way I am, just for today. I have to dismiss the voices around me that say you are what you do or

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-20768419135615627122009-07-20T15:38:00.004-06:002009-07-20T15:57:38.885-06:00

Taking care of ourselves physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually is the key to recovery in Al-Anon. We first do this by coming to meetings, then by working the 12 Steps of Al-Anon. We learn further by using the 12 Traditions of Al-Anon in our group meetings and in our family, friend, and work relationships. Many of us then move on to Area World Service which is our way of practicing

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-19486758035493904422009-06-19T08:09:00.004-06:002009-06-19T08:45:39.749-06:00

As Father's Day approaches, I suddenly realize why my blood father might have called this week after almost three years of silence. I can't know for sure, of course, but he's probably feeling sorry for himself again. That's his MO. And someone in his 80's just doesn't change. He says he has something important to tell me and wants to come for a visit. My sponsor reminded me that I have choices

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-78754529466569807072009-06-01T10:07:00.005-06:002009-06-01T10:49:52.295-06:00

My Saturday Al-Anon group was reminded again that alcoholism is a disease that kills. A member shared that her spouse had died. I don't know why we were shocked, but it so seldom happens because most of us have loved ones in recovery. But it could have happened in my life and it still could. I need to be grateful again for recovery, mine as well as others.It's hard for me to understand that

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-32615107871566187002009-05-06T09:40:00.003-06:002009-05-06T10:14:44.708-06:00

Oh, those pesky woodpeckers. They show up every spring and where one hole is patched, another hole is drilled right around the corner. Every morning, as I sit down for my cup of coffee and "quiet" time, I almost immediately have to get up, unlock the front door, and step around the front of the house to scare away a woodpecker, often several times. Eventually, if I'm lucky, that works.But there

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-18579864495844976332009-04-13T09:36:00.002-06:002009-04-13T09:38:49.784-06:00

I’m working the Steps this year by reading and answering the questions in Paths to Recovery. The first question in the defects section in the chapter on Step 4 – made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves – asks why do I hold onto my resentments? I’m not sure I’ve ever asked myself this question; I’ve only acknowledged that I do indeed hold onto grudges, thinking it is what I

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-34213791440864098042009-04-04T08:47:00.003-06:002009-04-04T09:03:30.044-06:00

I am so grateful for service work in Al-Anon. It is what we do after working the 12 Steps for our own recovery. It is part of the 12th Step to pass on our own experience, strength, and hope. But it is also how we keep our recovery going and don't slip back into old ways of thinking and behaving. I am grateful that I've had the opportunity to learn lessons in a safe environment.I've learned how to

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-57643148571745970002009-03-20T09:29:00.004-06:002009-03-20T10:04:43.538-06:00

When I heard that my mother was in the hospital with serious side effects from taking too much of her narcotic pain medicine, it crossed my mind that she could die. She is, after all, almost 80 and has been in bad health for years. When her possible death did not bother me, I was a bit bothered by my lack of emotion. I simply thought, "Should she die, I would go to her funeral." Period.Then I

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-75921272520640087872009-03-09T09:37:00.004-06:002009-03-09T09:56:15.070-06:00

It doesn't take muchto plunge into hell -the fear of the futurewhen all is not well.It doesn't take muchto dive into IFwhere the fear of the futuremakes me frozen and stiff.It doesn't take muchto fall into WHENwhere the fear of the futuretakes me from NOW into THEN.Yet it doesn't take muchto stay in the daywhere the fear of the futuredoes NOT have a say.Yes it doesn't take muchto surrender it

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-35867858104735615902009-02-25T14:07:00.002-07:002009-02-25T14:10:47.275-07:00

I received a question today about what to do if one can't get to meetings. There is such a thing as lone membership when there are no meetings available or someone can't get to meetings. You can find out about lone membership by emailing the World Service Office at wso@al-anon.org. There are also online meetings through the WSO, which are like chat rooms but follow the Traditions so are safe. I

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-5538907004708297072009-02-24T11:27:00.003-07:002009-02-24T11:41:52.951-07:00

I thought I was working the 2nd Step this month, but it turns out I'm working the 10th Step, having had to make five as-soon-as-possible amends. I use the word "had" because if I did not, I would lose my serenity, which is the goal of my Al-Anon program.With making my 10th Step amends, I have figured out the character defect I've been practicing that results in needing to do 10th Steps. It is

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-79648220520303576692009-02-01T11:19:00.003-07:002009-02-01T11:43:05.015-07:00

So why is it so important to do a 10th step? (Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.) Can't we let some things just slide by? After all, we aren't expected to be perfect in our recovery from living with the disease of alcoholism. However, as my sponsor tells me, my goal is serenity and if I don't keep my side of the street clean, I lose my serenity. I

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-68115040821243408412009-01-26T07:16:00.002-07:002009-01-26T07:34:49.795-07:00

Hello from Brussels where I am visiting an Al-Anon friend. We just returned last night from the 7th European Al-Anon Convention in Oostende on the North Sea. Yes, it was very cold outside but inside the hotel it was warm both physically and emotionally. This is truly a worldwide fellowship! So what am I learning? Patience, because I do not have my own car and have had to live a lot by the relaxed

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-30522147142843027362009-01-12T17:06:00.003-07:002009-01-12T17:31:48.314-07:00

Happy New Year, everyone, even though we're almost half-way through January. The nice thing about having a program that we practice One Day at a Time is that we can make a fresh start every day, even in the middle of the day if we need to. So I don't make resolutions, especially if doing so would set myself up to fail. I just do a daily inventory to determine how I'm doing, what I could have done

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-10510003437072577252008-12-29T11:10:00.004-07:002008-12-29T12:04:26.122-07:00

I think we all get them at one time or another, the post-holiday blues. Sometimes it's just a natural human feeling, that something we have looked forward to has come and gone and it's back to our normal lives. Other times it's because family gatherings brought out the worst in our dysfunctional families, either in others or ourselves. For me, the holidays brought out the alcoholic behavior in

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-28365966935070566682008-12-11T11:31:00.003-07:002008-12-11T11:44:57.092-07:00

I've been reading the Al-Anon book "Opening Our Hearts, Transforming Our Losses" to help myself get through the grief of losing a loved one. A lot of the content has to do with loss around the disease of alcoholism, so it doesn't always pertain to my situation. I lost my 103-year old grandma, who was probably one of the healthiest and most spiritual people in my life. However, my immense reaction

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-12323245259193045532008-11-21T10:45:00.002-07:002008-11-21T11:06:41.037-07:00

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

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-41443324536475082572008-10-20T14:26:00.003-06:002008-10-20T14:39:18.037-06:00

Fall is my favorite season, so I've been out there enjoying the weather as well as being extra busy with my volunteer work. Oh, how I wish I could just stop time right now and capture this season in a bottle. Yet I can't control the seasons anymore than I can control what's going on in the world. This is a lesson I learned from trying to control the disease of alcoholism, or at least the person

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-69727308441231927332008-10-08T16:05:00.002-06:002008-10-08T16:25:54.374-06:00

I was asked recently to be someone's sponsor who lives out of state. This wasn't the kind of situation where I already knew this person and they knew me. That might work, if they had no one else to turn to. But this case is someone I don't know but who reads my blog.I'm usually willing to reach out, like the Al-Anon Declaration says: When anyone, anywhere reaches out for help, let the hand of

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-1478071695026213122008-09-29T17:31:00.003-06:002008-09-29T17:37:04.797-06:00

So I went to clean out old files today, part of my "fall" cleaning. It had been on my mind for quite a while to get rid of all the files of an old client whom I "fired" a couple years ago (part of taking care of myself). Funny thing is that I had already purged my drawer of said old files. And to think that I spent all that energy thinking about those files when they had already been shredded.

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-12144369289912096022008-09-22T09:19:00.002-06:002008-09-22T09:22:06.178-06:00

This is in reply to a question I received on a sponsorship post from 2007:You are ready to be a sponsor if you have worked the steps. In so doing, you are ready to pass on what you have received. That does not mean that you need to be perfect or have it all together. Progress not perfection is part of sponsorship, too. I have made many "mistakes" which have turned out to be lessons for myself. I

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-61332854259063562352008-09-08T15:41:00.004-06:002008-09-08T16:03:19.967-06:00

The slogan "Let It Begin with Me" usually refers to 12th Step work, but I’m using it right now to make amends to myself. I’m letting it begin with me by finally putting myself on my 8th Step list, something I’ve never done even though it has been recommended to me several times. I wish I had done it, but we work the program our own way in our own time. So I’m not going to beat myself up.In fact,

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-37864773558549420102008-08-12T15:54:00.006-06:002008-08-12T16:19:18.076-06:00

Does anyone like the group conscience? I know I don't, even when I have put something on the agenda. I don't like conflict. I don't like people disagreeing with me. I don't like how I feel when I want to defend myself but need to keep my mouth shut because I've already shared enough. So I'd really rather just change things on my own or with the help of a few friends.But that's not how Al-Anon

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-6115158706723061322008-08-01T10:34:00.003-06:002008-08-01T11:11:54.130-06:00

If God loves us, why would He/She make it difficult for us to discover our personal road to serenity? Why do we think that finding God's will for our lives is strenuous and sometimes impossible? I've been struggling with the question "What is God's will for my life?" for years. But guess what, I have been living God's will much of that time simply because I was seeking it. Through working my

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-70334803016646487262008-07-15T09:14:00.003-06:002008-07-15T09:32:59.633-06:00

One of my character defects due to the "fight or flight" syndrome we Al-Anons often share is that I always seemed to need an enemy - at home, at work, or even in the program. But at Summer Assembly, when someone came up to me to ask if I heard the remarks someone else made and if I thought they were rebuking something we had done, I gently said, "No, I did not take it personally."Then at the end

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-16458328053520327722008-07-07T16:31:00.005-06:002008-07-07T18:53:56.325-06:00

1. I can be grateful that my father abandoned me when I was eight years old. The thought simply occurred to me when someone shared they were grateful that their fiance had left them.2. If God wants me to make a connection with someone in particular, it will happen - over and over again without having to use cell phones or make plans.3. If I don't respond like I want when someone recognizes me, I

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-74059965297667084402008-06-30T14:13:00.006-06:002008-06-30T14:32:23.738-06:00

I was reminded this last weekend that emotions can't be reasoned with. I can't argue them away. They have to be "felt with."I was babysitting my granddaughter who is almost two. Her mother told me she was having a hard week - being very clingy, crying a lot, having night terrors. Very unlike her.Even so, when she cried for almost an hour, I spent most of that time attempting to reason with her -

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-8413828684941986852008-06-17T08:27:00.002-06:002008-06-17T08:52:53.288-06:00

Someone asked today where I've been. To tell you the truth, I've been spending a lot of time on the couch with an icebag on my head. I got that flu bug that's been going around, plus I've been "working" Step 6. You ask, what do those two things have in common? Well, when you get the flu, you often have no choice but to rest. I noticed the other day in a Step 6 meeting that it is the only Step

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-7310853929696425512008-05-26T18:28:00.002-06:002008-05-26T18:43:52.993-06:00

Obsessive thinking is like quick sand. Once you fall into it, it's hard to get out. In fact, if you try to fight it, you make things worse. I fell into this trap yesterday and ended up feeling all the bad feelings and remorse I've ever felt, all in the same day! Needless to say it was a miserable day spent fighting with myself in my head. I kept telling myself to be grateful, then to look at the

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-8326602078306447332008-05-04T15:11:00.003-06:002008-05-04T15:25:18.202-06:00

So my goal lately, after a long time of being serious, is to lighten up. I decided this after watching the audience's response to a popular circuit speaker. They were laughing. They needed to laugh. Too often we Al-Anon's forget about humor. AA's Big Book recognizes that alcoholics are not a glum lot. And neither are we. In fact, newcomers are often surprised when we laugh in meetings about

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-27306569236578256402008-04-18T09:00:00.005-06:002008-04-18T09:54:41.192-06:00

There are levels of letting go. I've recently let go of my blood father even more, meaning I've forgiven him more. How can this be? You either forgive someone or you don't, right? Well, you begin to forgive someone when you make a decision to do so, but forgiveness takes time. It takes practice. It is not a one-time event.Recently, with more compassion for myself, realizing that God truly loves

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-27077523717412026772008-04-07T12:05:00.003-06:002008-04-07T12:08:52.116-06:00

So here's a new acronym I came up with during a meeting on Step 4 yesterday:BehaviorsAttitudesResentmentsFearsI got these from someone sharing about what they write about during a personal inventory. These are the things we need to get rid of to uncover our assets (except behaviors can be good as can attitudes!), thus B.A.R.F.

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-19045223135354276802008-04-03T13:02:00.003-06:002008-04-03T13:26:22.827-06:00

I went to a good meeting today on Step 4. We read the chapter in Paths to Recovery and it contained many methods to taking one's moral inventory, making it a bit overwhelming. But there was one line I really liked from an Alateen sponsor: "Keep It Simple!" It occurred to me that we in Al-Anon spend an awful lot of time on Step 4, often years, when it is really just one of the twelve steps. In

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-63848590851125035882008-03-27T16:48:00.003-06:002008-03-27T17:30:57.196-06:00

The grand thing about Al-Anon is that no matter how long we've been going to meetings and doing service work, we still have the opportunity to learn and grow. I had another spiritual awakening last week at my step study. We've been on Step 3 all month - not to mention all the other times I've studied Step 3 - but I heard something different last week: that I had only made the decision to make the

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-16292871399253002932008-03-19T13:42:00.005-06:002008-03-19T14:16:16.565-06:00

Several people commented after my last blog about depression and how recovery itself can also cause fatigue. This is true, and it is at those times that we need to take extra special care of ourselves. I remember when I was deep in the throws of my first real 4th step inventory that I let a lot of stuff go, such as housework and even physical exercise - things I had always made a priority. I

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-87564121154099586542008-03-14T16:33:00.002-06:002008-03-14T16:50:21.686-06:00

I've been extra tired lately. At first, I thought it was the time change. Then I remembered that I was tired before the time change. Second, I thought is was traveling, but then I remembered that I wasn't excited about taking our two-week camping trip last month. Perhaps the real reason was that I was tired.Am I still so out of touch with my needs that I couldn't figure that out then and do

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-85687038282540839972008-03-05T09:20:00.004-07:002008-03-05T09:42:41.916-07:00

Yesterday on the road, I explained to my spouse why I often don't speak up for myself. It has to do with not getting my needs met most of my life, as well as the main people in my life being critical rather than nurturing. So he told me to speak up for myself.But what happened next? When we got home and the house was not clean (at least not to my standards), I voiced my displeasure. I was

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-69075644622809139942008-02-29T08:46:00.002-07:002008-02-29T09:06:08.326-07:00

Since my last post, I went to a meeting and that has made all the difference. I knew something was wrong with me, that I was sick with the "ism," but nothing seemed to work - not my morning reading and meditation, not the Serentiy Prayer, not slogans, not trying to be grateful. I just couldn't change my "stinking thinking," which I even asked God to remove.Nope, what I needed was to name the

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-57984921792580587012008-02-24T12:49:00.003-07:002008-02-24T13:03:53.434-07:00

Just thought I'd check in to let you all know that I'm alive and well, just on the road with limited wifi access. The weather hasn't been cooperating, but then what did I expect for February? Reminds me a lot of marrying an alcoholic and then expecting a smooth ride, all sunny days, and that proverbial bed of roses. Nevertheless, we're having a good time, visiting a few friends and relatives

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-3613578334284805092008-02-17T14:52:00.004-07:002008-02-18T18:56:12.568-07:00

By pure luck, we ended up staying in Brooklyn on our lastweekend trip to New York City. We had some time on ourhands so were able to walk the couple blocks to Lois Wilson's family home, the home she and Bill Wilson were living in when he finally got sober. It was also the home where Bill not only held the first A.A. meetings in New York, but housed a lot of drunks. It is privately owned and not a

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-81016056744153964382008-02-14T12:54:00.003-07:002008-02-14T13:28:56.925-07:00

Okay, so I couldn't come up with anything that works for NOW the way that Honest, Open, and Willing works for HOW. But that's okay. Maybe I can come with something for the PRESENT or the ZONE, or maybe I should simply hang out there "Just for Today." Even if it is snowing and cold compared to warm in the upper 60's yesterday and I'm already wishing this day away so I can sit by the fire tonight.

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-82647291207486732792008-02-13T10:56:00.007-07:002008-02-14T12:53:02.835-07:00

Okay, so enough of the woulda, coulda, shoulda stuff. Time to get into the NOW and to move on. To live my life today. HOW? Well, that's being Honest, Open, and Willing. So what is NOW? What is living in the NOW really mean? I'm serious. I spend so much time in the past and the future that living for today is new to me.I know my dog lives in the NOW. Every moment of every day is as new to her as

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-67153095646398252912008-02-10T16:17:00.000-07:002008-02-11T13:04:47.664-07:00

Note: This poem was my first post on this blog. I'm reposting it because it is as true today as it was 18 months ago, especially since today is this parent's 80th birthday. I've changed the ending a bit due to changed circumstances.I have a few memoriesas a child—your letting goof my bike seat, not letting me know,letting me think you were thereholding me up, while all alongI was on my own,like I

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-29376059114653114622008-02-09T13:31:00.001-07:002008-02-09T14:08:19.265-07:00

Recovery and progress in this program have often been described as a spiral, that we deal with the same issues over and over again, only on a different level. Many times, it seems like we're sprialing downward - you know, the one step forward, two steps back feeling. As we grow, however, by really working the steps, reasoning it out with others, attending meetings, and doing service work (vital,

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-91766196203250032152008-02-05T15:48:00.000-07:002008-02-05T15:58:58.876-07:00

I'm laying low today after a fun weekend in New York City. Hubby and I ended up walking all the way across the Manhattan Bridge to our hotel in Brooklyn. We got to see the Brooklyn Bridge in front of the lights of the city, only dimmed by the fog covering the tops of the skyscrapers. Even though it had been raining, since the wind wasn't blowing, it wasn't that cold.I say that now even though I

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-29205092191326109492008-01-25T14:12:00.000-07:002008-01-25T14:33:14.412-07:00

I've been to a lot of meetings this month on the first step, on being powerless over alcohol plus people, places, and things - on my life being unmanagable when I try to control the disease of alcoholism and anything else that is beyond my control. However, the Serenity Prayer tells me that there are things I can change, I just need the wisdom to know what they are. It's not that I have no

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-67891156220901512702008-01-21T16:35:00.000-07:002008-01-25T14:35:26.051-07:00

I watched The Savages yesterday, a movie about grown children stepping up to the plate to take care of their father at the end of his life. The twist was that the father had abused them and, for most of their adult lives, had been estranged. I was touched by their ability to do the "right thing," even though I'm not sure I will be able to do the same when it is my turn.I started this blog the

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-89493075825612720812008-01-16T15:27:00.000-07:002008-01-16T15:46:47.649-07:00

It wasn't very long ago that I was wishing to have my dog's mind, at least as far as her disposition goes. She's consistent in both her actions and attitudes. She's always at the door to greet me, wagging her tail whether I've been gone 5 minutes or 5 hours. She may be a little extra hungry if I get home late to feed her, but she doesn't hold a grudge. She didn't even hold a grudge the time we

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-83588271408758956322007-12-31T10:15:00.000-07:002007-12-31T10:20:10.709-07:00

Update on the dog: She's going. All it took was to let her off her leash! At home, she's used to her doggie door and freedom. I was controlling her with a short leash. As such, she wasn't getting her normal amount of exercise and probably a bit bound up. As with people, places, and things, I need to let them go so they can do their own thing...So Happy New Year! It is finally snowing where we're

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-69634455058858046812007-12-27T15:10:00.000-07:002008-01-25T14:37:15.681-07:00

Even when the alcoholic is sober and you're surrounded by loving, mostly functional family, something happens that reminds you that you're not in charge, you're powerless. Such a thing happened to me last night when I took the dog out for her late evening potty break.SHE WOULDN'T GO! Even though she's gone lots of time for me travelling in all kinds of weather and on all kinds of soil with or

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-55204542806895831662007-12-24T07:47:00.000-07:002007-12-24T07:51:12.083-07:00

Just want to wish all of you out there in blogland a very Happy Holidays! We're able to spend them with family back home. It may be cold and windy, but our hearts are warm. I may even be able to visit one of my favorite out-of-town meetings today. If not for Al-Anon, I would not be part of any kind of family. Yet I am blessed with several, including all of you! Thanks for visiting!

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-70071083997418951232007-12-18T08:03:00.000-07:002008-01-25T14:38:41.139-07:00

Doing God's will doesn't always feel good. Sometimes, I'd rather just stay home by myself and not answer the phone or doorbell. I'd rather not drive in the dark, on the ice, to meet with a sponsee. I'd rather not adjust my attitude, put on a smile, and drive across town for a pre-Christmas get-together with my children and granddaughter (even though I love them dearly).I'd rather not be on the

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-29741273360188223242007-12-14T10:23:00.000-07:002007-12-18T08:03:21.463-07:00

Along with being an Al-Anon, I fight depression. Not the kind that comes from dealing with alcoholism and other family/relationship dysfunctions, but the kind that comes from an inherited chemical imbalance. I can usually tell when it's coming, and more often than not, I usually just have to let it, because I know that "This too shall pass." I am powerless.That doesn't mean that I need to become

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-14719515732492258512007-12-07T12:24:00.000-07:002007-12-07T12:38:26.776-07:00

How do I know my life is unmanageable? Well, yesterday and today, I got stuck simply because a loved one in my life seems stuck. For me, that means I'm depressed about someone else's problem rather than living my own life. I'm stuck waiting until that person's life moves forward before mine can. In effect, that person has become my Higher Power for the moment.I need not be in this place. I have

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-86492559642097154812007-11-28T13:10:00.000-07:002008-01-25T14:39:39.198-07:00

I’ve spent most of my life trying to figure out God’s will for my life. Yet when I look back, I have managed to accomplish a few things of note: I’ve stayed married for 34 years, most of those to a practicing alcoholic; I raised three wonderful children who have all finished college and live fairly normal, happy lives; I’ve written and published two books and been published elsewhere in books,

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-25133154997167806092007-11-23T10:04:00.000-07:002008-01-25T14:41:18.578-07:00

I learned more about sponsorship this year, that it is important to tell your sponsees the truth even if it hurts - especially if they ask for help in a particular area. Yes, they do need encouragement, but they also need to grow. If a sponsee tells you they are stuck and you believe you know why, you should tell them.Yes, it is hard. We want people to like us and be our friends. But we don't

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-18781397549077765062007-11-19T16:11:00.000-07:002008-01-25T14:42:28.350-07:00

Everyone seems to have one - a cell phone. Almost everyone is connected ALL the time. At most meetings now, someone's phone rings and they apologize as they dig for it to silence it.It occured to me when I saw a new person with her pink cell phone on her lap, at the ready, that we as a society have become very attached to NOT being out of touch, even for a second.How different we would be, I

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-73787539850961428872007-11-17T08:48:00.000-07:002008-01-25T14:43:17.816-07:00

Hello everyone. I've been blogging elsewhere but realized again last night how important it is to continue to share my Al-Anon story with anyone, anywhere, reaching out for help. We never know how our experience, strength, and hope (ESH) will touch others' lives. For example, I spoke at a speakers meeting last night. Honestly, I don't recall much of what I shared or the order of events in my

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-91490286856743133972007-10-08T09:42:00.000-06:002008-01-25T14:45:14.254-07:00

Sorry I've been gone from blogland. I was busy getting ready for my whole family of origin's visit. I wasted a lot of energy on what-ifs, you know, FEARs - Future Expectations Appearing Real. None of them really came true. The little things that were said or happened weren't that big, especially when I got my act - my head - my thoughts - together. When I realized that I had lost my serenity,

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-31212377097833960632007-08-28T13:05:00.000-06:002008-01-25T14:40:29.987-07:00

I goofed last night. Before we went out to dinner and shopping, I put the dog in the backyard. Usually she does her thing and then lets herself in via the dog door.But yesterday afternoon, I had closed the gates on the deck when my granddaughter was visiting, so the dog had spent the evening waiting for us to open a gate for her.To make it worse, it was pouring rain! Talk about needing to make

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-80996553612594166382007-08-17T19:24:00.000-06:002008-01-25T14:44:22.788-07:00

After a week of suffering physically, I gave in and went to the doctor yesterday. I took care of myself. So today, I'm feeling better. Plus I got a good long night's sleep. I took care of myself. I also got to babysit my granddaughter today. I also got to go out to dinner with my spouse and we didn't argue about anything. I took care of myself. So today was a good day. And now it is raining with

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-42476032098166532792007-08-16T19:28:00.001-06:002008-01-25T14:46:24.332-07:00

What does this mean? Well, tonight it meant figuring out how to get past being angry at someone without giving in to them. I don't have to accept unacceptable behavior but I do have to behave myself. "I" statements work best, so I said, "I will stop being angry with you if you promise to stop...." I know I had to get past my anger despite what the other person decided to do, but this was a way to

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-29069147768420013002007-08-15T19:14:00.001-06:002008-01-25T14:47:08.327-07:00

So I did another 8th step today with my sponsor. Turns out I'm the only person I need to make amends to. All the others are 10th steps. So how do I make amends to myself? Well, my sponsor had me write a list of my assets. It was hard at first. You know it's not "nice" to toot our own horn. But after awhile it got easier and my list grew, and so did my self-esteem and self-worth. I really have

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-55121915731832578902007-08-14T15:01:00.000-06:002008-01-25T14:47:43.560-07:00

Hi Everyone - I may decide to close this blog because there is a new way to share online and pass it on, through Al-Anon's website and e-CAL (electronic conference approved literature). I just finished sending a few items there, but of course, they have to go through the approval process. In the meantime, I'll try to come here more regularly because I know how much writing it down really helps me

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-34944615919738527102007-08-08T18:58:00.000-06:002008-01-25T14:49:01.600-07:00

I got this letter today that promises me all my wishes will come true, like winning a million dollars, my children will find love and success, I will lose weight, I will have more friends, I will be happy in my work, etc. etc. etc., and I only have to buy this special wish ring. Just $5 plus shipping and handling and following the instructions that come with it. Wow. What a promise. Unfortunately

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-57836390066103042552007-08-06T17:07:00.000-06:002008-01-25T14:50:01.892-07:00

Thank you for missing me. It's a nice feeling. I have been gone from blogging for a while, but I'm still working my program, going to meetings, doing service work, all the really important things. I've also been traveling and going to meetings in places like Rome, Greece, Prague, and Montana. Yes, I live a charmed life these days, but I still live with me and that can be a challenge. I was also

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-16227848702046517342007-04-17T19:14:00.000-06:002008-01-25T14:51:28.881-07:00

Once again, I have not been posting. Probably because I haven't had much to share, even though I always seem to open my mouth at meetings :-)Anyway, this morning I wrote something in my 4th Step Journal, Al-Anon's "Blueprint for Progress," that emphasized once again what is and has been true for me for a long time:That most of my outward life depends on my inner life. In our meeting format, we

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-61867384298160291442007-04-04T13:49:00.000-06:002008-01-25T14:53:00.106-07:00

First, I want to thank those of you who have reminded me that I've been gone from my blog for six weeks.... I've been busy, but I didn't think that much time had gone by. So I apologize to anyone who used to read me faithfully. It's as if I haven't been showing up to my meetings, although that I've been doing. So I'm doing okay, just lots going on.So where have I been? I've been to Montana in a

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-15125447929936039862007-02-13T18:47:00.000-07:002007-02-13T18:54:13.488-07:00

How nice that love isn't restricted to the romantic kind. If it was, I would have been pretty lonely all these years. But because I have many Al-Anon friends, I have always felt loved, even in my darkest moments. Today isn't one of those, however. Today, life is good! I am grateful for all of you out there in blogland as well as my sweet husband who got sober just when I was going to throw in

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-1171212575954232102007-02-11T09:22:00.000-07:002007-02-12T15:06:55.636-07:00

I'm amazed and grateful for all the feedback from my last post. Even though I hadn't blogged in a long time, people still came, read, commented, and encouraged me. This can only be a God-thing because what I usually do when I blog is visit other bloggers and comment so they will visit my blog. In other words, I try to make sure I get read. But I didn't do that this time, and I got read anyway.

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-1171129932335850722007-02-10T10:19:00.000-07:002007-02-11T08:55:47.016-07:00

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.

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-1169422856939437562007-01-21T16:35:00.000-07:002007-02-06T20:46:00.613-07:00

I won't bore you with another picture of snow. It all looks the same, even though there are a 100 or more different kinds. And I won't bore you with how tired we are of snow, even those of us who say they like and used to miss winter. I'll instead bore you with the fact that I went to a meeting today, then called a sponsee back, then decided to do nothing else but relax. Hey, it is Sunday after

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34647965.post-1169135805434401052007-01-18T08:46:00.000-07:002007-01-26T10:53:28.346-07:00

I know that I've not been blogging, and I apologize to anyone who keeps checking in to read my thoughts in blogland. I will try harder to blog more often, even daily. I have many thoughts I've jotted down during my morning meditations. But today, just for today, I am grateful for:1. A new meeting time where we will simply be studying the 12 steps of recovery.2. Lunch with my friends after the

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com4