Hope

April 20
Detachment

"Addiction is a family disease, but we could only change ourselves."

IP No. 13, "Youth and Recovery"


Many of us come from severely damaged families. At times, the insanity that reigns among our relatives feels overwhelming. Sometimes we feel like packing our bags and moving far, far away.

We pray that our family members will join us in recovery but, to our great sadness, this does not always happen. Sometimes, despite our best efforts to carry the message, we find that we cannot help those we hold most dear. Our group experience has taught us that, frequently, we are too close to our relatives to help them. We learn it is better to leave them in our Higher Power's care.

We have found that when we stop trying to settle the problems of family members, we give them the room they need to work things out in their own lives. By reminding them that we are not able to solve their problems for them, we give ourselves the freedom to live our own lives. We have faith that God will help our relatives. Often, the best thing we can give our loved ones is the example of our own ongoing recovery. For the sake of our family's sanity and our own, we must let our relatives find their own ways to recover.


Just for today: I will seek to work my own program and leave my family in the care of a Higher Power.

pg. 114


Just For Today Daily Meditation is the property of Narcotics Anonymous ©

Gooch

I have some current parallel events requiring me to follow this suggestion. In addition after coming to terms with my own limotations, I need to physically detach.

Again Hope. Thanks for posting these.

REZ

This is one I needed to here years ago, when I first got clean. My brother and sister were both still using. It was hard to accept my powerlessness over them and avoid trying to tell them what to do.

Awenasa

We read this in our meeting today. There was only five of us as we are starting a new branch of another meeting and word has not spread. It was a wonderful topic and brought things to light that i had not thought of.

For example I avoid going to see my family. None of them had a clue I was an addict. Hello? Didn't anyone notice how wild and crazy I was as a teenager? On top of that they get on my nerves when I visit them. We talked about accepting people espcially family for who they are. That is something I really needed to hear. I am now all of a sudden looking forward to visiting my family and applying what I have learned to see if my visit will turn out much better then it has in the past. I realize that my unhappiness was never them it was all in my that I was not accepting of them. That I am powerless over them just as they are over me. It always amazes me how I keep growing and growing and learning and learning.

Sorry if I jump from topic to topic. I also have ADD and my thoughts are always moving from one thing to another. So if I ramble please ignore or fuss at me whatever you think might help! lol

Gooch

My family ( and my coworkers) are who they are and where they are at. Sometimes they are very receptive other times they aren't.. Usually it feels comfortable when my higher power uses me to carry a message and uncomfortable when I take responsibility for more than what he wants me to.


funny coincidence or God's little sense of humor ? add - ict...... ?

I have it too and it can actually be channeled productively ..


Oh look ! something bright and shiny!

now where was I?

Welcome Awe!

Awenasa

Hi Gooch,
Yep God has really been doing the coincidence thing in my life for a while now. I love it. Trying to channel productively... hmm working on it. Like right now I should be working.