the roller coaster anymore.  After attending the MA Alanon Convention this past weekend I had come to realizations for myself that I am putting into practice.  The most important of them for me at this time is that I am chosing not to ride the roller coaster of my husband's disease.  This applies to the biggest of issues to the most trivial items.

After having a nice quiet evening with my husband on Sunday, last night was an entirely different scenario.  I for the first time in a while was able to stand outside of the situation and watch as it unfolded.  Definitely offers better perspective.  The situation was mundane enough.  My husband and I decided to watch a movie together after the kids went to bed.  He was watching a movie with my son and when my son went to bed my husband said he was going finish the movie they were watching.  I continued on with what I was doing at the time, figuring that he would let me know when he was starting the video we were to watch together.  He never said anything, until after he came home from picking my son up at work.  He started with the little digs and shots about not wanting to spend time with him.  I listened and quietly stated the facts of the situation.  I told him that he needed to communicate with me that he was starting the movie, that I could not read minds or see through walls to know he did so.  His victim portrayal was an oscar winning performance - however - I chose not to get into the emotions of it all.  I chose to stay to the facts.  When all was said and done, he went to bed in a huff (nothing new there) and I did what I needed to do which included thanking my HP for the ability to stay true to myself and communicate the facts not the feelings.

The experiences I picked up at this conference and at others like it so enhance my program.  I hear others share on their ES &H and gain new insight and perpective on how to handle situations.