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.
Today, we're driving in my car, when I realize that I'm almost completely out of gas. So, we seek the nearest gas station of our choice and pull in. I busy myself with making a few calls on my cell; I don't even know what he is going through. So I was a little shocked when he got in the car all huffy and calling the woman inside the station a blankety-blank, sitting on her blankety-blank butt, while watching TV on the job.
I ask: "What happened."
He responds with more blankety-blank statements.
I said, "I still don't understand."
He says the pump he tried wouldn't accept his credit card; so he went inside the station to ask for help. He got none; so he got back in the car.
I suggested that we try another pump at the same gas station.
He responds with more, you know, blankety-blanks.
I tell him that we have enough to get home and that I will get gas tomorrow. No big deal.
He then tells me that he is going to a meeting tonight.
I respond: "You've been hitting a lot of meetings lately; are feeling the urge to drink?" Argh!.............. I hear a silent scream taking place inside me. Where did that question come from??????????? I thought I had resolved not to ever ask him such a question again. The residual fear is taking over! I felt I was jumping back to square one for a minute.
He says, "No, AA isn't just for stopping the urges to drink; it's for adjusting my attitude."
I sit in silence, not wanting to touch that line.
He then asks, "Don't you think I need to adjust my attitude?"
We suddenly both crack up. And then I say, "Ah, just tad."
I'm so thankful that he realizes that he needs to change his attitude, which requires a different perspecitive.
Thanks AA!
My car is still sitting there with very little gas. It's so worth it, because it was so comforting to hear him say that he needs an attitude adjustment. Priceless gift!
-- Edited by GailMichelle on Saturday 15th of September 2012 10:00:41 AM
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You have to go through the darkness to truly know the light. Lama Surya Das
Resentment is like taking poison & waiting for the other person to die. Malachy McCourt
That sounds familiar. It's good to hear your husband has a decent program going. I can think back to some seriously "blankety-blank" moments I've had even over the last year. I think alcoholics have serious problems accepting the world for what it is. Our frustration tolerance is usually very low and the answers to living in the world without self-destructing and numbing with alcohol do come from AA (at least that's been my experience too).
Mark, your statement, "I think alcoholics have serious problems accepting the world for what it is" is why al-anons need al-anon too, most of us need al-anon because we cannot accept the world as it is, people just won't do what I want em to do. That doesn't work well for me, lol
((hugs)) to all
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The prayer isn't for Higher Power to change our lives, but rather to change us.
Some of my biggest recovery moments were MYOB moments and I guess still are. I once went after another alcoholic's personal program right in front of his sponsor. I'm too good and after going over a couple of thousand justificatons and excuses for me to do that I ended right back at square one...apologies to both men (separately) and a one on one with a sponsor for corrective action...his. HP took care of the rest and I haven't recidivated for over 1.5 years. Yay!!
Keep coming back second chances are coming and thanks for the alert. ((((hugs))))
