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Miracles In Progress 12 Step Recovery Forums -> Al-Anon Family Group -> Al-Anon Family Group -> Thank You for Being Here
Post Info TOPIC: Thank You for Being Here
david62


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Thank You for Being Here
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Hello Everyone,

I got home this evening from a AA/Al-Anon conference I have attended every year since I first sat in a recovery meeting on April 17, 2004.  I love conferences, and this one is probably my favorite. 

It always has wonderful speakers, great Al-Anon meetings and has had anywhere from 700-1100 of my brothers and sisters in attendance every year.

With that many members of Alcoholic's Anonymous and Al-Anon in attendance the awesome spirit of all those "Higher Power's" in one place makes the resort hum with the energy  of love and recovery.

One speaker in particular put a whole new spin on being grateful and saying thank you for me.

To make a long story short....the speaker had his eyes opened about his own self centeredness, when he didn't get a thank you for saving the life of a fellow soldier.  The point he had missed was that this soldier was gravely injured while trying to render aid to he himself who was trapped and surrounded by enemy soldiers. 

He sat down and wrote a letter to this man he had previously had a resentment against thanking him for risking HIS life to save HIM!

That is a very bared boned explanation of what is someone else's incredible story. 

It made me look at all those people I have had in my life for whom I have carried resentments against in a new way.  The alcoholics in my life.

My Grandfather, father and ex-wife to name but three.  It made me think.... have I ever told my father thank you for the things he did for me when I was a child, teenager and young adult?  What about the wonderful, kind things my ex-wife did for me?

I have a disease.  I have been told this disease is incurable.  I have been shown a way to treat and live with this disease.  I have been given tools that enable me today to have some power over the disease.  The tools are the 12 Steps and the power is provided by something greater than me that is shared with me to allow me to get better. 

That disease is, Alcoholism, The Family Disease.

That very disease kept me blinded for many years, especially with my father.  As I got into my teen years all I could remember was the bad stuff.  The disgust at seeing my father drink himself into a stupor everynight.  The embarrassment of having my mom have to go bail him out of jail when he got arrested for dwi's.  The disappointment of so many promises made and broken.  The fear of his disapproval and his ridicule.  The inadequacy of never being good enough for him to be able to say he was proud of me or to say, good job son.

And so I was, blinded by my not understanding that my dad was sick.  And I was blind to all the wonderful things he did.  The sacrifices he made for my mom, my brother and I.  His efforts to provide for his family.

People, I am grateful for my father today.  And I thank him daily for his help when he gives it to me now.  But you have taught me that.  I need to dig deeper with him.

And with so many, many others.

I am writing this here because I wanted to say thank you to all of you.  I wish I could do it to every single one of the hundreds of people whom I have had contact with on this board and this sites associated Al-Anon chat room over the past 6+ years.  But I cannot, so I will just say it to you all.

Thank you.

Thank you for listening to me cry, you couldn't here me, but you knew I was.  And you held me with your caring, your love.  Thank you for helping me to remember what it is like to laugh and to be silly.  Thank you for letting me rant and rave when I needed to.  Thank you for sharing your wisdom with me and helping me to learn how to live my life a new way.  A way with so much freedom and love and fulfillment.  Something I had barely even experienced prior to Al-Anon.

Thank you for sharing your pain with me.  Thank you for sharing your joy with me.  Thank your for broadening my world to include you all in it as equals. 

Thank you for seeing in me what I could not see in myself.  That I am beautiful child of God.  And that not only am I loveable, but that my God really does love me...warts and all.

And it is so helpful to me, to keep me in touch with the humility I need to always have, to understand that each and everyone one of you is also just as loved, just as loveable.  No matter who you are.

Thank you, I love you all.

David

 

 



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abbyal


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awwwwwww David that was very nice . And a thank you to you too . Louise



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Debilyn


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Oh david that was so YOU.  So many times you have helped me out when I was hurting. I could always depend on you to be rightious and trustworthy. I respect you so much. The toughest times here, you taught me other ways of looking at things.

Am so glad I know ya! hugs, always, debilyn



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Putting HP first, always  <(*@*)>

"It's not so much being loved for ourselves, but more for being loved in spite of ourselves."

       http://www.al-anon.alateen.org/meetings/meeting.html            Or call: 1-888-4alanon
hotrod


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Dear David

Thank You for such a powerful message.  I agree that Conventions are a wonderful experience and the warmth that overflows into our hearts so important.

Letting go of the anger and resentments that I held did give allow my positive feelings of gratitude ,appreciation and love to surface within me.

What a gift this program and each member is

 



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Betty

THE HIGHEST FORM OF WISDOM IS KINDNESS

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tommyecat


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David,

I really enjoyed reading your post because it showed full circle the example of Experience, Strength and Hope.  Through each and every experience, painful or not, there is a lesson and blessing in all things.  Your story and many like those found on this board, heard at conventions, and in face to face rooms of Alanon demonstrate that you can be happy joyous and free because this program works if you work it.



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RLC


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David my thanks is to you for who you are and what you do......Always giving back to others what the program has given you. You are an example for others to follow.

Thanks For Sharing,

RLC



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maresie


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I can most definitely resent people at a drop of a hat.

There were times with the ex A where he could be personable and kind.  Those were evaporated through his disease.  I'm glad I can remember both the good and bad. For a long long time it was all bad.

Maresie.



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maresie
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