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.
What a very long week I have had. I allowed myself to become enmeshed in yet another situation that was not mine to take on. But, somehow I ended up smack in the middle of.
Tues at 9AM a neighbor called and said the Sheriff was on the way to evict her. Not a huge surprise to me, she had not paid her mortgage in two years. What was a surprise was that she waited till they were on the their way to call for help. She had ignored the notices and thought they would give her time when they decided to kick her out. Her denial was strong.
So without thinking things through, it was a crisis. I jumped in to help. I start packing. I call other neighbors to come help. We are that kind of neighborhood. I run interference between her the Sheriff and Realtor. They were really nice. If one can be nice when you are throwing their belonging outside and locking the door. So within two hours her life was literally in her driveway. She is so distraught she can not make any the simplest of decisions. So I take her home with me feed her and try my best top calm her.
Then her children arrive and the chaos starts again. as we pack their mother's belongs into a uhaul truck. Her daughter rents a storage space over the phone. And finally by 4:30 the truck is loaded. What does not fit goes into a neighboring garage. The neighbor goes to her daughters apartment.
Thursday dawns to my neighbor calling saying she had to leave her daughter's, wanting to know if she could move in with us. I was able to make some phone calls and find another neighbor who had a spare bedroom.
So here we are at Friday. I am starting to feel better and am taking stock of all that happened this week.
Stupid moves: over using my back, being out in the cold for 5 hours = Resulting in being flat on my back for three days with severe pain.
: fixing neighbor's problems for her, when I should have let her fix them herself.
Good move : No allowing her housing situation to become my issue.
Lessons learned: Tricia took care of Everybody but herself on Tuesday and is now paying the price.
That's some great power and control T...not good on the back and other areas however I get the impression "Wow...she's good"!! I see more helping than fixing...just imagine you could have started this two years ago. We are created to love and be loved and also to help when we can. Did she support the rest of you as you supported her? Fair, Honest, Just. ((((hugs))))
"Did she support the rest of you as you supported her?"
No, But I believe that is the ultimate gift. To give and not ever expect anything in return. It has been a tough year here money wise, so I don't have money to give this year. But for a couple days I helped someone who truly needed it. I feel good about that. I just have to think through the ramifications to my body better next time.
It is nice that right before Christmas you helped a neighbor out in a crisis and it was a learning lesson for you. So good on you and I am sending you love and support on feeling back to normal!
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Sending you love and support on your journey always! BreakingFree
Al-Anon/Alateen Family Group Headquarters, Inc. 800-344-2666
" Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional."
"Serenity is when your body and mind are in the same place."