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 from C2C, the author shares about their past. They initially insisted that alcoholism didn't exist in their family, and that everything was fine. They were totally normal. When the author began to accept that alcoholism was a disease that impacted the whole family, they found themselves having conversations focused around their unfortunate past, and little else. While understanding our past can offer many gifts, the author find it important to remember that the reason to do this is to recover from the impact of alcoholism and live our lives today. One Al-Anon member shared about looking back without staring. Today, the author looks on the past with a realistic understanding to learn from it and move forward with life.
Today's Reminder: There is much to learn from the past, but I cannot allow past hurts to smolder and destroy today. Instead, I can ask my Higher Power to help me use my experiences to move forward and to make healthier, more loving choices than ever before.
Today's Quote: "Experience is not what happens to you, it is what you do with what happens to you." Aldous Huxley
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I like today's reminder to look back without staring. Understanding my motives, what happened to me, why I made certain choices helps me to make better choices in the future. But dwelling on it doesn't help me to enjoy today. It makes me relive painful memories, and doesn't leave time to enjoy the wonders that today holds. Personally, when I look back I see myself focusing too much on singular moments and not recognizing signs and symptoms of alcoholism. For me, looking back means being honest with myself when I see those signs and symptoms, and remembering that it isn't just about today, the disease of alcoholism is progressive, so it is important to look back without staring or obsessing to help inform my choices today.
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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
I like this simple reminder to look back without staring too. It's one thing to look to the past for guidance or to remind myself of how far I have come, but every so often I find myself getting angry about past hurts and droning on about them- that's definitely when i am "staring". Great reminder, thank you
Thanks Skorpi for your service and for all above ESH. OMG I lived in the past for years, carrying resentment and blame, and not knowing how to move on. I believe doing the steps more than once has helped me make peace with what happened, and yesS, I have even forgiven and made amends where appropriate to do so. Grateful member always.
