fbw

The story of Bill Wilson seems to be spoke of often. The story of Louis Wilson appears in my experience less so. I wanted to take a minute to remember what I know about the foundation of Al-Anon.

Louis Wilson threw a shoe at Bill.... And that seemed to help her realise she was sick too. Her disease and his disease where not that different, they just were expressed in different ways.
She started Al-Anon to help those who were impacted by the disease of Alcoholism. She was not creating a refuge for victims but instead a safe place where others like her could come to understand how the disease had recruited them, controlled them and changed them.

The image created by this part of the story is powerful for me.

It has guided and continues to guide my change in thinking around Alcoholism and how it has impacted me my whole life.

I would love to hear from others what part of the founding story had an impact on them.

Hammer

For me . . . . just speaking for me . . . . I became VERY Self-Aware THAT I AM NOT LOIS.

Which for me . . . again, just speaking for me . . . . IS A VERY, VERY GOOD THING.



http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-not-lois.html

LifeRecovery

I have come to understand that alcoholism IS a family disease.....and that without recovery it is inherited through the generations.

No alcoholism in my immediate family, but there was on both sides prior.

I was brought up in a very co-dependent family situation.

I was primed and ready to meet, love and get into a relationship with an addict. It was all I knew.

Loving and addict has helped me to break a cycle I did not even know I was in. I have not liked the lessons, but the learning has been so worth it.

lillamy

For me, I think it was the realization that while we were both impacted by AXH's alcoholism, our recoveries were not connected.

That his behavior and my behavior were both affected by alcoholism - but that the fact that we were both sick didn't excuse either behavior.

The separating of responsibilities - his for him and mine for me - in my mind was the first step to freedom for me.

ladyscribbler

Mine was doing my fourth step and realizing that while I had made plenty of mistakes, I wasn't the horrible worthless person I thought I was and that I could be redeemed.
I've thrown my share of shoes, though.

lillamy

ladyscribbler -- see, I've always been the opposite of throwing shoes, so I kind of admire that kind of "crazy"... seems to be healthier in a way than the internal-throwing-shoes-at-myself kind of crazy...