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.
This weekend, my wife and I took the kids out to a park that we go to a lot in the spring and summer. We've had a fair amount of snow recently and we thought we may be able to find some hills for the kids to go sledding or just explore a bit and see what we found. When we got there, we were surprised to see no other cars in the parking lot. We had bought our sled with us so we headed in with it and the kids ran around in the snow. Eventually the older one decided she wanted to get on the sled and asked me to pull her. Not surprisingly, her little brother was right behind her on the sled. I said sure, and said to my wife "let's see how long this lasts". We made it over to the lake we always check out when the weather is nicer. Everything was just going perfectly. It was a bright sunny day, not too cold, not windy at all. The sled was working out just fine. It wasn't easy pulling them but it wasn't hard either. I kept waiting to reach a point where we wouldn't be able to go any further because of the snow or because the sled wouldn't make it. But it just never happened. We eventually made it to the woods that we walk through in the warmer months and I said "ok, that's enough". But the kids wanted to keep going and my wife was up for it. I figured for sure the paths in the woods would be too tricky to get through with the snow--they are hard to navigate in the summer after all. But ok, I thought, we'll keep trying. And we did. And it was awesome. Peaceful and beautiful and fun. About halfway through we heard bells ringing from a nearby church and I just felt really good. The kids were having a blast and my wife was too--it was hard not to. We made it all the way out of the woods. Pulling them was just starting to get difficult at that point, so we decided to quit while we were ahead. Just as we got to the parking lot, the line I was using to pull the sled snapped. If that had happened halfway through our walk in the woods it would have meant an entirely different experience--much more frustrating and a lot more work and a lot less fun. But it held out until we got to our car.
I'm really working on the relationship with my HP. I didn't have one at all for roughly 15 years, and it feels really awkward and uncomfortable at times. But this experience felt like such a gift, and if it weren't for Al Anon I wouldn't have even tried to develop this relationship and I really think I wouldn't have even had this experience. Or if I did, I wouldn't have enjoyed it like I did. The rest of the weekend has been full of highs and lows, probably more lows than highs. But this was a great moment.
One of those long AHAAAAAAAAAAA moments Use to be. Happy for you and your family. Sounds like that High trumped all the lows. You all deserved that experience and HP was there to guide you to it, in it, after it...you even got the bells. How soooo awesome!! Yay!!
wow, almost got goosebumps reading your post. Thanks for sharing:) That's great that you were able to enjoy that moment!! :) I'd like to think your HP, or something somewhere higher up, was holding that line pulling the sled together. Living in the moment... I think that's what genuinely happy people are able to do - I struggle with it everyday... and everyday, I think I'm closer to really achieving it. Good for you! :)
I loved your story, I admire and enjoy seeing your growth in the program. I am happy that HP is gaining your confidence. Yours was a feel good story, and with the program you can look for more in the future.
I love the way you continued on the path. I am guilty of wanting to cut things shorter than they need to be. But you're right. The further ahead you go, the more rewards.
