The material presented
here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method
to exchange
information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal
level.
You stole my thunder, lol...I was gonna wish everyone a safe, happy 4th too! So from me as well as Kari, happy happy 4th of July to everyone!!!!
If it's ok to put this quote here on the board...I was reading this daily reading from Hazelden in my email:
"Today's thought from Hazelden is:
In Micronesian, there's a word, kukaro, which has no corresponding word in English. When people say they are going to kukaro, they mean they are going to relax, sit around, and hang out. They are being, not doing. --Eli and Beth Halpern
As children, our best times are often trips to an amusement park, fishing at the lake, camping, or just sitting idly under a tree. These make the best memories, and times sitting around a campfire roasting marshmallows or having a root beer after a family outing seem to bring out the love we share.
We don't seem to be accomplishing anything at these times. No chores are getting done around the house, no schoolwork, no repairs, and no moneymaking.
But these times of peace, relaxation, and a sense of endless time of being, not doing, may be essential to our ability to get other things done later. Certainly we are most receptive to our feelings, new ideas, and unplanned adventures at these moments. Maybe we should add kukaro to our vocabulary.
What timeless thing can I do today?"
It made me smile, because I was wondering... what am I going to do today...I'm off, my husband has to work, my daughter is doing her own thing, and I'm going to be bored. Sometimes holidays really get to me, because my husband, having had his secret drinking life the first 4 years that I knew him, never wanted to do anything with any friends, or cookouts, or just hang out with them playing cards, whatever.
When I mentioned, before knowing he had to work today, having some friends over for a cookout, he said, "do we HAVE to?". Of course, he added his little grin, which he had hoped would indicate that he was just joking. But it was reminiscent of the past, when he would say, "I'll just go in the bedroom when everyone is here and watch a game or something." (I now know that he wanted to hide any hint of his secret life from people.)
So today, I'm going to call a couple of alanon friends and chat (watch out, you may get a call...), maybe get together with one of them for lunch, or just finish some painting around the house (that's an ONGOING project!). I may go for a long walk, and I may even go shopping at the local Goody's. Who knows? I am also manning the phones for the real estate company where I work, so maybe I'll even sell a couple of houses today! I bought some marshmallows yesterday, so maybe we will roast them tonite...yummy...
Anyway, I'm gonna try to enjoy my OWN company, as well as the company of Callie, Simon and Sassy (my 3 cats).
Hope everyone's having a wonderful Independence Day. My oldest daughter celebrated her 8th birthday today, so we've had terrific day - starting around 5:00 this morning. I am SO happy they're too little to beg to go into Boston for the fireworks tonight and I can go to sleep as soon as they do.... Stay safe!
In one scene, he and his friend are viewing the Fireworks... and they decide to shout out what they are declaring independence from. Just as Stuart says in the movie, this feels awesome!!!
I bought some marshmallows yesterday, so maybe we will roast them tonite...yummy...
