All Day Long
“I used to set aside a time to pray. No more! I told my Higher Power ‘Let’s talk all day long. Let’s never hang up.’” — Janie K, CA Published in The Forum, March 2023
Blog
Our Lives Become a Light
“Carrying the message does not mean we become evangelists; it means our lives become a light. We will learn how to shine. If we apply this program to all areas of our lives, it will work in all areas of … Continue reading “Our Lives Become a Light” →
Lightbulb moment
For those moments when you need a good laugh: Non Al-Anon answer: “It’s fine. I’ll just sit here in the dark….I don’t need light….”
Forgiveness in Al-Anon
Before coming into Al-Anon I had heard a lot about forgiveness. My understanding was that forgiveness was an act of kindness and generosity on my part, through which another person, who had offended me, was relieved of some burden of … Continue reading “Forgiveness in Al-Anon” →
Not Your Fault
“It is not your fault you experienced trauma, but it is your responsibility to heal from it.”
Boundaries
Boundaries describe actions you will take and do not require the cooperation of anyone else.
Loss, Grief, and Alcoholism
Follow the link below for an excerpt from Opening Our Hearts, Transforming Our Losses found on the Al-Anon.org blog It covers the Family Disease, Uncertainty and Crisis/Chaos, Living with Chronic Illness due to Alcoholism, Anticipatory Grief, and Detachment. https://al-anon.org/blog/opening-hearts-transforming-losses/
I don’t have living alcoholics in my life now
But they are still living in my head. … heard at a meeting
Anonymity
We don’t share another’s identity, but we can share our own, if we want.
Good Quotes, non-CAL
From Anne Lamott’s Dusk, Night, Dawn (2021) From the Internet
Sponsorship
Heard in a Sponsorship Workshop Doing Al-Anon without a sponsor is like going to the swimming pool and watching other people swim. Sponsorship is not a lifetime commitment. Letting go is not a sign of failure The sponsor holds the … Continue reading “Sponsorship” →
Shoes
Lois W., the wife of Bill W., co-founder of AA, says in her story, ‘After a while I began to wonder why I was not as happy as I ought to be since the one thing I had been yearning … Continue reading “Shoes” →
Giving up vs. letting go
Giving up will leave you broken, letting go will leave you empowered.
Heard in a Meeting
A growing collection of nuggets heard in meetings and online. If you have to fight monsters, don’t become a monster in the process. Faith is hope with a good track record. Don’t believe everything you think. I go to meetings so … Continue reading “Heard in a Meeting” →
Cleaning My Hard Drive: An Exercise in Working The Steps
I was talking to a friend one evening and she shared how she dealt with her resentments. I remember going home happy because I didn’t think I had a resentment problem. I was wrong. That night my … Continue reading “Cleaning My Hard Drive: An Exercise in Working The Steps” →
Crystal Ball
In a candlelit room, peering into a crystal ball, a fortune teller delivered devastating news to a woman who had come seeking answers about her alcoholic husband. “There’s no easy way to tell you this, so I’ll just be blunt,” … Continue reading “Crystal Ball” →
Denial
Denial is the shock-absorber of the soul. — Heard in a meeting
Trust in God but tie your camel
a saying used in places where people depend on camels for transportation: “Trust in God and tie your camel to a tree.”
Shift Change
Dear HP, it’s your shift. See you in the morning.
Forgive Yourself
Forgive yourself for not knowing better at the time. Forgive yourself for giving away your power. Forgive yourself for past behaviors. Forgive yourself for the survival patterns and traits you picked up while enduring trauma. Forgive yourself for being who … Continue reading “Forgive Yourself” →