The reading for Monday, 6/14, begins like this:  If someone were to say to me:  Here is a medicine that can change your whole life for the better;  it will put you in a state of relaxed serenity;  help you overcome the nagging undercurrent of guilt for past errors, give you new insight into yourself and your spiritual value, and let you meet lifes challenges with confidence and courage.  Would you take it?  THESE ARE THE PROMISES OF THE TWELVE STEPS OF A.A. AND ALANON.

My choice will be to take this beneficial medicine and let its healing magic work in me.

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When I read this passage I thought, wait a minute, that sounds like the real answer to all my problems.  Could this be so?  This program can give me serenity, eliminate past guilt, gain new insight, and become more confident and courageous?  Well actually, ODAT, this is exactly whats happening as I lean into program.  Its not that a everything is perfect everydayheck no.  But a whole lot of good has happened and continues to happen to me as I work this program.  And it doesnt mean I can do nothingI have to do lots of work and practice and pay good attention.  I practice this program daily, and I am reaping the rewards. 

Thank you Lyne for this reading, your service and ESH!!

If I were asked that question.....

"Here is a medicine that can change your whole life for the better; it will put you in a state of relaxed serenity;
help you overcome the nagging undercurrent of guilt for past errors, give you new insight into yourself and your spiritual value, and let you
meet life's challenges with confidence and courage - Would I take it?"

I can choose to be happy and realize that life is a work in progress with all of it's pitfalls and pain.  I do not dwell on those pitfalls to long

because my nature is to seek solutions.  Meditation, prayer, Al-Anon (service) and pride in my work. 

I choose to be grateful for what I have and not what I don't or never did.

Grateful member right here!!

Daffodils, thank you for your wonderful words. Was just thinking before I saw your post that, as great as the Promises are, many of them haven't happened for me yet. I am not serene most of the time. I am not sure that serenity is an appropriate goal for me -- maybe just intermittent serenity LOL. We are all so different. Like you, I have long engaged in "magical thinking" and in avoidance. So I need to get real. And, as well as being reactive to alcoholism in my loved one, I am anxious about other things...anxiety that results from a lot of trauma in my upbringing. Recent years have taught me that almost nothing I do or don't do will make this go away...But that I can learn to live with it much more compassionately and constructively. And with loving detachment.

At bottom, I guess this is what the Promises are saying, too. Thanks again to all for your experience, strength, and hope. 

  Lyne...  ...

When I began in Alanon 37 years ago- I needed three or four meetings a week.

There was only one. A little later we had Alanon sharing meeting with AA- which made it two.

And then there were other neighbouring groups- there were three others in out upland valleys.

And then there were assemblies. ...

But here we can share on a reading- daily....

One time our meetings here were in the chat room. Not sure now if they are still going?

my time zone as away out of whack. 16 hours ahead of EST in winter. 18 hours in summer.

And shifts in daylight saving- both sides of the Pacific- would often catch me out. 

So meeting 24/7 on this message board has great advantages.

We have the three "C"s caint change it, didn't cause it, and caint cure it.

But whenI apply this principle to myself i see a completely different picture.

I see a teenager trying desperately to understand what is going down with me.

As an adult I embraced Alanon- and went with the programme- best i could... ...

...and now I can review progress to date- with this group.

I rub shoulders here- with the most motivated people I know.  ...

Thanks. 

Al.anon most certainly has been very helpful to me. Nevertheless I have had to embrace many other strategies to move forward in my life 

I am an avid consumer of classes podcasts and every other reference point I can find .

When it first became clear I had post traumatic stress disorder I was working in a hospital where post traumatic stress disorder was identified as a syndrome.  I have spent decades working on my way through finding some relief from that disorder.  I very much welcome new strategies to resolve that disorder.  Al anon most certainly could never address those symptoms.  I have had to seek professional help for them 

I am extremely eager to resolve many of my symptoms of codependency. In particular my compulsion to #fawn# .  What ok nice felt appropriate now feels extremely uncomfortable 

Maresie