Gilmer

Don't worry, Del--I also like The Red Green Show!

I'm glad things weren't as chaotic as you feared with the arrival of the A/C guy. With most things we're uncertain about, the anticipation is far worse than the actual event.

You've developed a very good sober mindset; you've come a long, long way from where you were before. But as more months and years add up, you'll grow even stronger and more at peace with yourself.

The fear you now have will die away considerably. You will become able to set fair boundaries for yourself without being agitated by it. Without becoming overly self-important, you will come to realize that you're at least as good and valid as everyone else in the world.

Setting boundaries does not have to be aggressive--confrontations can be very gentle.

But if you're comfortable enough now, you don't need to force yourself to be more assertive: you'll find that with more and more accrued sobriety you'll treat yourself with greater and greater kindness and dignity--and you won't fear disaster if you need to bring someone a gentle correction.

Much of our maturity comes just naturally with continued sobriety.