Hello MIP! 

In today's reading, the author reflects on how students learn to play the piano - they start with just a few keys and one hand, eventually adding a second hand and more keys, until they are using all the keys on the piano from the low bass to the high treble.

The author considers how in Al-Anon, the instrument  we are learning the play is ourselves, and the notes are our emotions. The author believes that their HP wants them to experience the full range of human emotions, from love to joy to wonder, and also anger and fear. 

Today's Reminder: Today I will appreciate the full range of feelings available to me. They make my experience of life full indeed. 

Today's Quote: "I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable...but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing." Agatha Christie

-------------------------------------

Today's topic is a good one for me - one thing I have learned to do in Al-Anon is to be in touch with my feelings, but not them control me. Rather than suppressing my feelings, I can experience them, observe them, and then allow them to pass, without allowing them to control my actions. I'm very grateful to Al-Anon for my ability to experience emotion in this way now. 

I like it Skorpi...Thanks!!!  Yes my HP just loves to tap on my feelings button as it knows my feelings, especially the loving ones are so close to the surface.  I smile alot and laugh alot also. 

Yesterday I was at Lowes department store looking for screws and washers and nuts so that I could repair our relax-a-chair and I turned into that aisle and their he was with his mom also shopping similar.  I smiled and asked openly "so what aisle can I find one like that?" and she knew what I was  asking about and turned to me smiling also.  He is 8 months old and so expert at bringing happiness and joy and I got mine.  I bent down to face him and said, "Watch  your Uncle's smile" (Of course I am not his uncle by birth only by association and my HP...in Hawaii by respect and honor we are all aunties and uncles...and this little keiki kane (boy child) learned he had power to bring joy and so did his mom and as you can tell this new "uncle" is still up in the air 24 hours later.  Yes there is a disease named Alcoholism and too there are tiny tot children and their moms to reduce the negative affects of it and bring happiness.  Thank you God...sooooo very much.  My eyes are still open as is my mind, body and spirit.  May I also serve by bringing that happiness and joy out to where ever I come today.

I hope this family gets to get what I got.   ((((hugs)))) 

Skorpi, thank you for this share, about how we learn to play the piano a few keys at a time. This might help me deai with feelings, something I still am not very comfortable with. It also reminded me about learning to swim. I first learned to swim at the edge of the shore -- when I realized I was not touching the sand at the bottom and the water was supporting me. I think knowing I was supported was the essence of learning to swim -- kind of like faith in a higher power -- and all the rest (kicking, strokes, breathing) is just techniques, but without that faith I would not be swimming.

Jerry, I love your experience at the hardware store. (1) You were not looking for bread --- just for what they actually have: hardware. And (2) you also found some joy. Think about it -- The little child brings joy just by being himself. How cool is that!