LIVE AND LET LIVE
 THE first part of this slogan tell us to live, However living before Al-Anon meant worrying about the alcoholic , obsessing about our problems and trying to find perfect solutions--- abandoning ourselves in the process.
Were we living , or were we allowing people and situations to control our lives ?
In Al-Anon we learn that in order to live our own lives , we had to let go of these behaviors. They repquired too much energy - negative energy .Doing good things for ourelves also requires energy - the postive kind. Letting go of the negative and embracing the positive is a good place to start.
When was the last time we did what we wanted to do, ate what we liked or treated ourselves good for a change? Every time we speak up about our likes and dislikes , we are taking charge of our lives-- we are living .
Changing behaviors is a slow proecess, we strive for progress , not perfection . Our Higher Power is ready to help - we only need to ask.
The second part of this slogan tells us to let others live thier own lives. Thats not as easy as it sounds for those of us who have been affected by alcoholism . Controlling others was our way of quieting our fears. It also kept us on a merry -go -round , especially if things didnt go our way . Once we accepted that our Higer Power was in charge our fears subsided. We were then able to let go of others. Letting other people live withour our interference relives us of a a big responsibility . It gives us the time we need to take care of ourselves-- to live .
Isn't that what God wants of all of us ?


From Forum magazine 1992