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.
It has been a strange couple of weeks. We found out December 27 that my stepchildren's mother was found (we thought murdered initially) in a trash bag on the side of a highway out of state. We talked to the detectives (who did not say much, still investigating) and tried to help the kids and her family who lives here through this horrible tragedy. We arranged the memorial, got through that. Then we found out that she actually died of a drug and alcohol overdose. The kids are mad at her now, and still upset understandably. It is so heartbreaking for all of us.
If there is anything that came out of this situation in a positive way, it is the fact that I have realized, yet again, that alcohol and drugs can and will kill you! There were so many times I stayed up, drinking and drugging myself, when it very well could have killed me, I know. I felt my heart crashing and racing. This is REAL, not a joke. Addiction kills... sometimes slowly, sometimes fast.
Life is a journey, and we have been given this gift. I choose to be present for every moment of it, and to be present to help anyone and everyone I can. Life is so precious, every moment. Just being alive and breathing is such a gift, just think about it! Take a deep breath. You are alive.
Even when we have sad moments we know that we have the capacity to love and to be happy again. The pain and joy are all part of the whole shebang!
Please take care of your lives, and LIVE as fully as you can. Recovery (in Alanon and any other program) takes time and patience and sometimes is so challenging, but we become better with time, and better human beings. Our lives are good things, so surround yourselves with love and share love with everyone you can, while we are here....
Good to see you posting. I was wondering how you were.
I'm not sure what to say about the tragedy of the death and memorial. So sad and tragic. I'm happy that you got through it, and are a support to your family at this time. They need you very much.
There is so much growth and wisdom in your post. It is truly an inspiration. We can spend so long bargaining, trying to understand, trying so hard to make it all seem okay. And really this is just time spend fooling ourselves. There is no way we are ever strong enough to bargain with such a powerful disease.
And so we have to take our control of ourselves, and be strong. This is the way to recover for ourselves. This is the strong message I read in our post.
you are right......surround ourselves with love....
