Post by lildee on Feb 4, 2005 9:17:15 GMT -5
Hope for Today
When I came into Al-Anon, I didn't understand the meaning of serenity. I grew up as an older child of a large family and consequently had very little quiet time. After high school, I left home and moved into a small apartment with three roommates; no privacy there. Shortly after, I married and became the perfect wife who cooked, cleaned, gardened, and raised a family. Alcohol and the chaos that comes with it were ever present, so I took it upon myself to create a picture-perfect front for my friends, neighbors, and acquaintances. Obviously there was no time for me to relax under these circumstances.
Thank God for Al-Anon. In the program I've learned I can experience serenity any time I want it simply by making small choices. I can wake up an hour earlier and read, or watch the sunrise and listen to the sounds of early morning. I can turn off the car radio and drive to work in prayerful silence. While doing my housework, I can choose to listen to tapes I've accumulated from Al-Anon conventions, rather than to the chatter of the television. If I'm struggling with a stressful family situation, I can excuse myself, duck into a quiet room, take deep breaths, and say the Serenity Prayer over and over. Sometimes before bed I just sit quietly in the dark not thinking about anything, imagining myself wrapped in my Higher Power's beautiful cloak of moon and stars.
Thought for the Day
Serenity isn't a matter of chance; it's a matter of choice.
"This best of all possible gifts is a tranquil mind. You can't go out and buy it. You have to earn it for yourself." Forum Favorites,Volume 1, p. 47
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When I came into Al-Anon, I didn't understand the meaning of serenity. I grew up as an older child of a large family and consequently had very little quiet time. After high school, I left home and moved into a small apartment with three roommates; no privacy there. Shortly after, I married and became the perfect wife who cooked, cleaned, gardened, and raised a family. Alcohol and the chaos that comes with it were ever present, so I took it upon myself to create a picture-perfect front for my friends, neighbors, and acquaintances. Obviously there was no time for me to relax under these circumstances.
Thank God for Al-Anon. In the program I've learned I can experience serenity any time I want it simply by making small choices. I can wake up an hour earlier and read, or watch the sunrise and listen to the sounds of early morning. I can turn off the car radio and drive to work in prayerful silence. While doing my housework, I can choose to listen to tapes I've accumulated from Al-Anon conventions, rather than to the chatter of the television. If I'm struggling with a stressful family situation, I can excuse myself, duck into a quiet room, take deep breaths, and say the Serenity Prayer over and over. Sometimes before bed I just sit quietly in the dark not thinking about anything, imagining myself wrapped in my Higher Power's beautiful cloak of moon and stars.
Thought for the Day
Serenity isn't a matter of chance; it's a matter of choice.
"This best of all possible gifts is a tranquil mind. You can't go out and buy it. You have to earn it for yourself." Forum Favorites,Volume 1, p. 47
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/quote]
. I will be back looking for Lin and others.