Today's Hope - February 1
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,281
Today's Hope - February 1
From Today's Hope
Today's Sharing
Enjoying Recovery
What a journey!
This process of growth and change takes us along an ever-changing road. Sometimes the way is hard and craggy. Sometimes we climb mountains. Sometimes we slide down the other side on a toboggan.
Sometimes we rest.
Sometimes we grope through the darkness. Sometimes we're blinded by sunlight.
At times many may walk with us on the road; sometimes we feel nearly alone.
Ever changing, always interesting, always leading someplace better, someplace good.
What a journey!
Today, God, help me relax and enjoy the scenery. Help me know I'm right where I need to be on my journey.
Today's Sharing
Enjoying Recovery
What a journey!
This process of growth and change takes us along an ever-changing road. Sometimes the way is hard and craggy. Sometimes we climb mountains. Sometimes we slide down the other side on a toboggan.
Sometimes we rest.
Sometimes we grope through the darkness. Sometimes we're blinded by sunlight.
At times many may walk with us on the road; sometimes we feel nearly alone.
Ever changing, always interesting, always leading someplace better, someplace good.
What a journey!
Today, God, help me relax and enjoy the scenery. Help me know I'm right where I need to be on my journey.
Guest
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,281
Unexpected Events
"While fishing recently, I reflected on how my attitude has changed since coming to Al-Anon. I used to fish almost every day, whenever the weather permitted. I hurried home from work, changed clothes, grabbed a sandwich, and sprinted to the lake to fish until sunset. I thought I was relaxing when I worked the shoreline by casting hundreds of times---or trolled the channels, racing against oncoming darkness.
Now after attending Al-Anon, I fish differently. It isn’t as important that I always catch fish and I am learning one of fishing’s greatest lessons. Now I can enjoy fishing from the shore as well as from a boat. If I am in a boat, I might drop anchor so the fish can find me. I don’t have to race frantically around the lake hunting for them. I am learning to use one of the new tools that our One Day at a Time book suggests on page 17---patience.
The word patience means bearing pains or trials calmly. Before I came to Al-Anon I thought it meant waiting long enough for what I wanted to have happen. My purpose was to control people, events, and even fish. I knew the reward I wanted for waiting, and I often felt that I was suffering during the process. Nothing moved fast enough to meet my schedule. I hated waiting for anyone or anything. In Al-Anon I began to realize that I could either change my attitude or continue to let my impatience make me unhappy. Slogans, especially, “Easy Does It,” helped me slow down and relax.
Something that really upset me was a train that blocked my way to work in the morning. I learned to say “Easy Does It,” as I watched the train pass and counted the cars. Later I started bringing along something to read. Eventually I realized I would not have to wait for the morning train at all, if I started to work, either fifteen minutes earlier or later. It took months for me to figure out such a simple solution to my morning frustration. I still learn a little more about patience every day.
Today I receive many opportunities to practice being patient. While I am waiting for the morning paper to arrive, a traffic light to change, or the doctor’s nurse to call me into his office, I can give myself a little lecture. I think, “Waiting is not so bad. I’m not really suffering any hardship.”
What I am really doing is learning to face reality without taking everything that happens so personally. One of the words in our day-to-day vocabulary is “delay,” because it happens and we need something to call it. I want to learn to accept unexpected events in my life. Whether they are big or trivial, all of them are important tests of my patience in recovery.
By thinking positively, I can make better use of my time. I can listen to the news on the radio while waiting for the morning newspaper. I can remember to ring a coy of The Forum to read as I sit in waiting rooms. During Al-Anon meetings when I am waiting for my turn to share, I can remind myself that patience is one of the keys to serenity. Between meetings, I can keep in touch with program friends so we can help each other. Then, too, I can always go fishing."
Bill B., Illinois
Reprinted with permission of The Forum
Al-Anon Family Groups Incorporated, Virginia Beach, VA
"While fishing recently, I reflected on how my attitude has changed since coming to Al-Anon. I used to fish almost every day, whenever the weather permitted. I hurried home from work, changed clothes, grabbed a sandwich, and sprinted to the lake to fish until sunset. I thought I was relaxing when I worked the shoreline by casting hundreds of times---or trolled the channels, racing against oncoming darkness.
Now after attending Al-Anon, I fish differently. It isn’t as important that I always catch fish and I am learning one of fishing’s greatest lessons. Now I can enjoy fishing from the shore as well as from a boat. If I am in a boat, I might drop anchor so the fish can find me. I don’t have to race frantically around the lake hunting for them. I am learning to use one of the new tools that our One Day at a Time book suggests on page 17---patience.
The word patience means bearing pains or trials calmly. Before I came to Al-Anon I thought it meant waiting long enough for what I wanted to have happen. My purpose was to control people, events, and even fish. I knew the reward I wanted for waiting, and I often felt that I was suffering during the process. Nothing moved fast enough to meet my schedule. I hated waiting for anyone or anything. In Al-Anon I began to realize that I could either change my attitude or continue to let my impatience make me unhappy. Slogans, especially, “Easy Does It,” helped me slow down and relax.
Something that really upset me was a train that blocked my way to work in the morning. I learned to say “Easy Does It,” as I watched the train pass and counted the cars. Later I started bringing along something to read. Eventually I realized I would not have to wait for the morning train at all, if I started to work, either fifteen minutes earlier or later. It took months for me to figure out such a simple solution to my morning frustration. I still learn a little more about patience every day.
Today I receive many opportunities to practice being patient. While I am waiting for the morning paper to arrive, a traffic light to change, or the doctor’s nurse to call me into his office, I can give myself a little lecture. I think, “Waiting is not so bad. I’m not really suffering any hardship.”
What I am really doing is learning to face reality without taking everything that happens so personally. One of the words in our day-to-day vocabulary is “delay,” because it happens and we need something to call it. I want to learn to accept unexpected events in my life. Whether they are big or trivial, all of them are important tests of my patience in recovery.
By thinking positively, I can make better use of my time. I can listen to the news on the radio while waiting for the morning newspaper. I can remember to ring a coy of The Forum to read as I sit in waiting rooms. During Al-Anon meetings when I am waiting for my turn to share, I can remind myself that patience is one of the keys to serenity. Between meetings, I can keep in touch with program friends so we can help each other. Then, too, I can always go fishing."
Bill B., Illinois
Reprinted with permission of The Forum
Al-Anon Family Groups Incorporated, Virginia Beach, VA
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