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.
I Can't Say Mine has been Bad, but these Last Few Weeks have me Mentally & Physically Exhausted beyond words, and I Just can't put a Finger on Why? I had a Very Emotional Thanksgiving Week, I think just Missing My MIL who past Just Before the Holiday & My AFather , and Knowing that was the Day he left this World, and I Guess it Hurts so Much because for him & I Thanksgiving was "Our" Holiday... No Expectations, No Gifts, Just got to Enjoy each others Company around a Table of Great Food... I Miss that, My Dad was a Very Good Cook, and I Miss Seeing his Pride at Preparing a Meal for everyone... I MIss him Everyday, but Thanksgiving Just still after 5yrs Knocks the Wind out of Me! I went to Dinner at Mom's and Spend the Rest of the Evenning at Home in my Jammies feeling Sorry for Myself! And the Next Day I Forced Myself to Decoreate My Front Porch for My Grandkids for Christmas, & It Did Help Some!
I Managed to Make a Meeting that week, and It Sure turned things around... Amazing how that Can Happen, We Shared about the 12th Step, and "WHAT" Out Spiritual awakening was... For Me it was Just THAT... I Awakened in Me things that I Had always "Wanted" to do, but Never had the "Self Worth" that I Felt Worthy of doing... Baby Steps I Suppose, For Example: When I Came too from My Alcoholic Coma I Walked around in for Years, I took a Vacation with My SIL to the Ocean By Myself... I would have Never Done that Before Al-Anon, and I've done it twice since, I Can't say the Husband was all that Supportive, but it was For me! And I"m Grateful I had the Courage to allow it for ME and Not Need Permission from Anyone Else!
Another would be My Love of the Outdoors Truly Enhanced 100 Fold, and Photography... I Purchased Myself My Very Own Christmas/Birthday Present 3years ago, and Bought Myself a Camera... A REAL One! Not the Dollar Store Type... I had to Save a Bit, but once I seen the Beauty thru that Lens, Ohhh I was Hooked! My Husband Upgraded Me about 2yrs ago, and I'm now Looking for its Replacement so as to get Longers Shots up in the Tree's Where the Eagles Perch... I have Gotten some Beautiful Shots of Eagles On the River, and they Truly Stole my Heart & Soul! And Fast! Love Catching ALL Critters, not really a Person Picture Taker, but Put me Outdoors & I Can Wonder thru the Woods For Hours... To think that At One Point, I Didn't think I was Worthy of that Peace! So Grateful I Know I Am NOW!
Another Was Taking MYSELF Out to Eat, All By Myself... At 1st this Felt Really Strange, But when ya Got HP with a Gentle Hand in the Crest of My Spine, Well... I Now Look Forward to Treating ME... To Some this May seem Easy! Have ya Tried it? I Take one of My Daily Readers, and I Enjoy a Meal with HP & Me! AMAZING! Doesn't have to be anywhere Fansy or Expensive, I Usually Choose a Cheap Chinese buffett local... I Know Longer Sit there & Worry about What "Others May Think" or If they Feel Pity, or poke Fun! Cause its for ME & I Need No Approval, Its MY CHOICE & LIFE :)
Also I have Left Myself Just BE! I have Giving Myself Permission to EXIT a Room/Relationship at ANY Time I Feel Threatened, Be Littled, or Just Don't want to Engage with the ISM of My Family Dynamic! As a Dear Friend Once said... "I Vote with My Feet!" True Blessing! These are Just a "Smiggin" Of the ME Moments I Allow Myself, But They Have Changed My Path, My Heart, and My Vision of Me! Baby Steps Sometimes is All it Takes To Make Great Change... After all "NOTHING CHANGES "IF" Nothing Changes!"
So In Attemping to Keep this Short... What Was or IS Your Spiritaul Awakening? What have YOU Done To Take Care of You Since you Landed Softly Here at MIP? I Believe in Sharing Our "Baby Steps" We Show & Share with others, that We are Worth Even the Smallest of Changes... Cause Each Change Lifts Us To a Better Us! A Better "I"... A Better "We" as the Steps Say! Cause "We" Are Worth it!
Great picture I too love to watch eagles I have a few sites that have round the clock eagle movie camera situated on the nest Right now one set of parents are sitting on two eggs and we are all awaking the hatching on 12=24 These majestic creatures are lovely to behold. What great supportive partners and parents they are !! I feel blessed watching them.
I have had several Spiritual Awakenings, as In my early days in Program I tended to slack off and go back into my "Spiritual Coma" . The most memorable was when I prayed for a job, I was directed to an newspaper Ad, made the call and was hired. When I went for the interview I was asked to take a"Typing test" Not knowing how to type I said so and the interviewer stated that there was little typing and the test only a formality. I sat down to take the test (on an electric typewriter) and did not know how to turn it on. It did not matter I got the job
What a kind, beautiful share! I just posted on a spiritual awakening in progress I typically see them all around everywhere....from squirrels watching me, birds eating food I have put out, my Christmas bulbs that I hung on my "Halloween" tree on my side yard that is now sporting a little dusting of snow to my cats resting quietly as I sit by the fire engaging in my daily readings. Hmmmmm, the list goes on.
Thank you, Jozie, for sharing some of your life with us and inviting participation, too.
Spiritual awakenings in my lifetime have been numerous and plentiful starting at about age 3. I'm going to reach 65 in January, so that is many years of spiritual awakenings that helped me keep awake to the miracles all around me. They (awakenings) have been as different as they have been plentiful for me. A recent one that has to do with a fear of mine, driving on slick roads, was interesting to me. I was feeling my usual fear when it suddenly occurred to me to notice all the cars on each side of the road. There were many. If I ball-parked a mental projection of the cars I could see multiplied by the number that were driving all around our City and through it and considered just how many of those cars would be involved in an accident that day that would be serious enough to note on the news, would I think about driving on icky roads a little differently? I immediately understood that there would be a vastly greater number of drivers arriving at their destination safely than there would be drivers in a serious accident. I felt grateful and relaxed immediately.
Since coming on the MIP board, I have had multiple experiences of kindness and care. I see that joining the board has been a kind choice I've made for myself and the benefits of that choice reveal themselves to me daily through all the people who have also come to this board. The most marked change I've made for myself recently was due to my sponsor who kindly suggested that I do something fun for myself every day. OOOOOooooooooooooo. I had to think about that one. In part because daily fun has never been on my list of to dos and because a day or so before that clear guidance came to me through my sponsor, I'd received messages very similar. It was as if I couldn't escape what the doctor ordered and it wasn't a bitter pill. I have noticed a change in me every day due to just putting a little thing like personal fun for me on my list of to dos.
Thank you, Jozie, for starting this thread. Reading and responding was part of my day's fun. Check. 1/2 my fun checked off the to do list. That's contentment.
I typically see them all around everywhere....from squirrels watching me, birds eating food I have put out, my Christmas bulbs that I hung on my "Halloween" tree on my side yard that is now sporting a little dusting of snow to my cats resting quietly as I sit by the fire engaging in my daily readings. Hmmmmm, the list goes on.