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.
In today's reading, the author shares that Al-Anon was the first place they were invited back to after sharing their woes. The author had been desperate and close to committing suicide due to the alcoholism in their home, so when they were asked to make coffee at an Al-Anon meeting they found they were willing to do anything to pay back the kindness they had been shown. The author realized that the support of the Al-Anon group happened whether they were involved in service or not, and they were able to receive the love of the group even when they couldn't love themselves.
Al-Anon service work offered the opportunity for the author to grow, and feel good at doing something. They can see themselves accomplishing things, giving and receiving, learning new lessons that can be carried to other parts of their life. The author thinks that Al-Anon is doing them a favor by allowing them to complete service work, and learn and grow from the experience.
Today's Reminder: Listening, hearing, thinking, and reading about a spiritual awakening are fine, but if I really want this gift, there is something I can do about it: I can get involved.
Today's Quote: "What we learn to do we learn by doing." Aristotle
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I appreciate the sense of community and belonging that service work brings me. I find it useful to practice my Al-Anon tools while doing service work first, and then practice them in other parts of my life once I've gotten good at using them in service work. I'm very grateful that Al-Anon existed for me, and I'm really not sure what I would have done if I hadn't found my way to the program and stayed. Engaging in service work is a way that I find I can give back, and it is also a place where I find I am able to continue to work on my character defects. Service work gives me plenty of opportunity to experience frustration and conflicting opinions, and I embrace these as opportunities to continue to learn about myelf and grow into the person I want to be.
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Skorpi
If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present. - Lao Tzu
Happy December! Thank you for raising the issue of service. Quite often I feel guilty for taking the gifts given to me via Al-Anon even though I have done absolutely no service. On a number of occasions, requests for volunteers to do the daily have come up and my standard answer was I'm not seasoned enough. Truth is, lack of privacy in my home (and no thanks to Covid -work from home hubby is always here). Plus my fear that he may stumble on my involvement with Al-Anon keeps me from offering to help. This board has helped me gain strength and confidence to seek supports that help us cope with our mental/spiritual health and right now, I'm not ready to change what 's working for ME. Plus, f2f meetings are still not available in my area so I can't participate in service on that front. For now, I am grateful to be of service where can even if it's outside of Al-Anon. Thank you MIP members for sharing your time and wisdom.
Thank you, Skorpi, and all who have shared. I love service for how it helps my recovery and allows me to give back and to pay forward for what I have received.
I continue to develop in how I serve. Sometimes in a meeting I just want to "sit in the back and listen" -- but I serve better if I share, even if I don't feel my share is perfect. Sharing in the group is a form of service.
Sometimes I want to take on a commitment but fear that I will get over-committed and not be able to get out of the job... but I have learned that I can let go when it is time, and what happens next will be what happens. Maybe the group or the function will cease to exist, or maybe others will step up and keep things going as well or better than I could. That part is up to a higher power, not me.
Sometimes I want to take on a commitment but fear that I will not do it perfectly. I am getting more comfortable with imperfection. I expect that if I mess up on something, others in a healthy group will help me get back on track, or will simply understand.
Thanks Skorpi for your service and for all above shares. I appreciate all the people that do service in all areas of program including going to the larger meetings and bringing back info to my home group. One member of this group prepared a recovery bingo themed zoom which we did two weeks ago--she pursued this idea on her own and brought it to us. It was fun. So I don't mind doing service both on the board and in my home group. It gives me a special opportunity to grow, to make mistakes, and to be accepted when for so many years I felt unacceptable. I'm always a grateful member.
