alanon thoughts

 *Oh how few defects I thought I had when I came into al-anon. Oh how I

thought my A-son did what he did just to upset me.

Oh what all I had to learn after walking through those doors.



Yep, I had more problems in many ways than my son. For a long time I even

pointed the finger at him and at my A-father and blamed them. Let's not

mention my unloving mother.



Then one day I was made aware of how I have choices. I can choose to let

the actions of other people affect me and continue to make me miserable and

I can set here and moan and groan because they gave me these problems and I

have to go get help because of them....



OR



I can embrace the wonderful opportunity to dig around within the dark

confines of this person called me and uncover and discover what makes me

tick; why I do some of the things I do. Amazing. Some times when I see WHY

I do something, it leads the way to learning to NOT do it that especially

when/if it's harmful to me.



Oh how I need this program, still 25 years after the fact, with no active

alcoholic living near by. I don't even have to know what crazy things the

alcoholic is doing. But I still need what this program teaches me for I

still have those gut reactions to to other people's dsyfunction. Some days

it only takes a phrase, a tone and I'm sent spiraling into my insanity.



I have a saying written on a note and pinned to the board behind my

desk....I read it daily. I just don't always remember it...



It says: We aren't upset because of what is happening out of us.

We are upset because of what is happening inside of us.



something to ponder.


--
Character is what we are, not what others think we are.