The author of today's page in Hope for Today used Step Two when visiting with family on a holiday. When the family's behavior made them uncomfortable, our author chose to go to another room and pray/meditate for serenity and guidance to keep focused on themselves and the present moment. This allowed them to enjoy the rest of the day with serenity.
Thought for the Day: Being with my family for all or part of a day can be a stressful undertaking. Fortunately, I don't have to be there alone. Conscious contact with my Higher Power is only a prayer away.
Quote from As We Understood: "I had started working the Second and Third Steps, not out of faith or belief, but because it worked for other people and maybe 'it' would work for me. And I believe 'it' did."
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I just love the Second Step -- I think it's my favorite -- "Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity."
I certainly wish I'd discovered program earlier than I did. It might have made my holidays a lot better. I remember holidays with family where I felt uncomfortable, and didn't have any tools, so I felt trapped and alone. Just reading about someone using the Al-Anon tools, and contact with a higher power, to manage a visit with family -- it makes me feel good and is a reminder that I have more possibilities for coping than I might have imagined.
I'm in a better place now, and no longer have to spend holidays with those specific people -- but I now know that I have a higher power that I can seek out whenever I need to be restored to sanity.
-- Edited by Freetime on Friday 24th of December 2021 10:41:55 AM
Enigmatic said
Dec 24, 2021
Thank you for your service FT, great page and great reminder...
Belief is a powerful component to recovery, and for me also it was initially determined and constructed, then finally felt. I am grateful that I gave it my full effort initially, priming the pump, so the benefits could flow freely later.
It truly is a blessing to have constant access to the perspective, strength and insight that comes from our belief and connection with our higher power...grateful for the wisdom of Alanon
Lyne said
Dec 24, 2021
Thanks FT for your service and for above ESH. I have thought and said many times, I wish I had tried alanon many years ago. But I try to follow that thought with, better late than never. Most of my adult life would have been improved. This is due to program, so if I have 1 day left or 20 years, I'm grateful for what alanon has given me, and I will strive to do better with each and every day.
DM2021 said
Dec 24, 2021
Thank you FT, as well, for today's (very appropriate) reading, your service and to you Paul and Lyne for all ESH shared!
I would have to sit quietly and recite that serenity prayer because if I got up and went into another room I would
be subjected to "20 questions" as to why I felt I had to do that!!! Step Two has definitely helped me to understand
that I cannot control how people interact with me, that I do have full control of how I react to people and that it is
most definitely related to my perception. My mother has absolutely no "filters" so dinner time discussions require
a lot of patience. So happy that the holidays are far and few between!!
The author of today's page in Hope for Today used Step Two when visiting with family on a holiday. When the family's behavior made them uncomfortable, our author chose to go to another room and pray/meditate for serenity and guidance to keep focused on themselves and the present moment. This allowed them to enjoy the rest of the day with serenity.
Thought for the Day: Being with my family for all or part of a day can be a stressful undertaking. Fortunately, I don't have to be there alone. Conscious contact with my Higher Power is only a prayer away.
Quote from As We Understood: "I had started working the Second and Third Steps, not out of faith or belief, but because it worked for other people and maybe 'it' would work for me. And I believe 'it' did."
---------
I just love the Second Step -- I think it's my favorite -- "Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity."
I certainly wish I'd discovered program earlier than I did. It might have made my holidays a lot better. I remember holidays with family where I felt uncomfortable, and didn't have any tools, so I felt trapped and alone. Just reading about someone using the Al-Anon tools, and contact with a higher power, to manage a visit with family -- it makes me feel good and is a reminder that I have more possibilities for coping than I might have imagined.
I'm in a better place now, and no longer have to spend holidays with those specific people -- but I now know that I have a higher power that I can seek out whenever I need to be restored to sanity.
-- Edited by Freetime on Friday 24th of December 2021 10:41:55 AM
Belief is a powerful component to recovery, and for me also it was initially determined and constructed, then finally felt. I am grateful that I gave it my full effort initially, priming the pump, so the benefits could flow freely later.
It truly is a blessing to have constant access to the perspective, strength and insight that comes from our belief and connection with our higher power...grateful for the wisdom of Alanon
Thank you FT, as well, for today's (very appropriate) reading, your service and to you Paul and Lyne for all ESH shared!
because if I got up and went into another room I would
I would have to sit quietly and recite that serenity prayer
be subjected to "20 questions" as to why I felt I had to do that!!! Step Two has definitely helped me to understand
that I cannot control how people interact with me, that I do have full control of how I react to people and that it is
most definitely related to my perception. My mother has absolutely no "filters" so dinner time discussions require
a lot of patience. So happy that the holidays are far and few between!!