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.
yep, I am with Betty on that! That would be my definition, also. There are some things that "ring true" for me and some things that do not. I can take the ones that do and I can just ignore the ones that don't. This is one of the ways I customize this program to suit me. Its not a cookie cutter approach at all and I like that. It allows for my growth and flexibility. Its not rigid or dogmatic. Jean
Well expererience strengh and hope is that. When we listen to other people's experiences we can think about how we can work our program. Keep in mind this program is 50 years old. Some of the slogans can seem a little dated but nevertheless they have their place.
If I don't like what I am hearing I am free to leave it right there at the meeting. I don't have to pick it up, take it with me and carry it around, resenting it the whole time.
Example: I said, in a meeting, that MY God does NOT control the stoplights. That MY God works in mysterious, but not mundane ways and I don't pray to MY God for things like winning the lottery or changing the stoplights to green for me.
A member after me was a bit offended by MY take on MY God and said that God most definitly controls the stoplights and every single thing on this planet. That God is a part of everything on this earth therefore He is always in control of everything.
I was inturn offended by his take on my share. After all, I have a right to believe as I see fit. This member saw fit to try to tell me I was wrong in the way I viewed MY God.
Now, that is silly as he has no idea what I have been thru with MY HP. But insted of getting offended and staying offended, I decided to take what I like and leave the rest. He offered some other good ideas in his share, and others at that meeting had great stuff to say on the topic. I let go of my indignance at his share that seemed to directly contradict me and focused on the good that I heard.
To me like most of the others...I come here, I read all the posts that I can, some several times! And Sometimes if I am listening long enough, something triggers and "Old" memory, and it helps me remember what I have over come, and what power My HP & I have... I can honestly say that there is very few on here I can't relate too.. In some form or another, but that is the ties that bond us...
We are all we to HELP one another, move past what it is that is weighing us down..I have always been pickd up from my tough days, and pushed forward on my good days...
Take your time, and don't try and learn everything "Right Now" Do it One Day at a time and put your Focus MORE on YOU! Your Worth it!!!
You could look at it another way....Don't try to eat the whole cake at one time. Take little bites. It is a way of guiding Newbies to recovery so that they don't get confused by trying to get too much and then go away convincing themselves it (the program) doesn't work. When our children are young we spoon feed them with little spoons and don't force them to eat too much because it is not good for them. How did it come about? It came about "For Me" by becoming a member of The Al-Anon Family Groups and listening to others share with others what they learned and worked to change their lives in to something worth living. It worked for me and then I shared it with someone else who then did the same thing.
Another saying we have is "It works if you work it." Take what you like and leave the rest is a part of working it.
