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.
My daughter is good at analogies. We were garage sale-ing the other day and as usual talking about anything and everything, usually at least some conversation turns towards the recent past with the ex-A. She said, its like having an open bottle of poison in a lake, you remove the bottle of poison (the A), but some of the poison is still in the lake and has to be dealt with, some of it just needs time to dissipate so it isn't hurting anything anymore. I like the analogy because things aren't magically all better once the A has gone - there's still poison in the lake; you do what you can to help clean it up, but nothing can hurry that which only needs time to dissipate.
(AND you need to figure out how NOT to get anymore bottles of poison in your lake!)
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I am strong in the broken places. ~ Unknown
All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another! ~ Anatole France
I like your daughter's analogy. It really does take time to clear away all that wreckage from the past but I've found my lake waters become more and more clear when I do a daily inventory. A deep dive into Alanon steps 4,5,9 has helped to remove lots of toxins. Now, I try to set sail each morning with hp steering the boat so I don't go off course. There are less amends to make these days. When I keep my personal boundaries in tow, I'm more serene, happy, joyous, free. Thanks for sharing. TT
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Surround yourself with people and elements that support your destiny, not just your history.
Metaphors are how I "get it" ...the pictures for some reason work best for me. It is overwhelming to think "whole lake" rather than my own "pond". When I do think "whole lake" I get upset. This is a good post because it keeps my resistance up against current government trends of not wanting to do what's necessary to change the things we can in favor of the industry who hasn't fulfilled their promises...Totally alcoholic from vat to rehab. Just my vent...pardon that. ((((hugs))))
Clever girl. Great way to put it. I removed the poison only to find my son had it too. So he became the poison and I had to put him out my home because we were all feeling it. He is less poisonous for us now. The good of the majority. Thanks for sharing.c
