MeredithD1

September 30 in The Little Blue Book ONE DAY at a TIME in AL-ANON:

Once there was a man whose beloved wife was transformed from the charming girl he had married into a sodden drunkard. She suffered from a disease called alcoholism, although neither of them knew it.

He was always angry and frustrated because he couldn’t make her stop drinking. The more he tried, the worse she felt about it, and the more she drank. She was full of guilt and self-reproach because she left everything to him. He had to get the children ready for school, do the shopping, cook meals and clean house.

Then one day somebody told him about Al-Anon. Although he knew his case was hopeless, he thought he’d try it anyway. As he read, and asked questions and listened at meetings, he found he could get some perspective on his problems, When he learned his wife had a disease, compulsive drinking, he stopped blaming himself for not being able to control her. He realized the children resented him because he was often cross and unreasonable, and that they loved mama because she never scolded and they knew instinctively she was sick. He began to consider his own needs, for rest, quiet and a bit of recreation, and arranged to have a housekeeper take over the home chores. He made many changes, but, especially in his attitude toward the alcoholic.

After a spell of rebellion and resistance, she saw that she would have to get help..

One day, she asked him to take her to an AA meeting.