Courage to Change:
When I came to Al-Anon, I knew that a close relative drank too much, and I knew I wasn’t happy, but I didn’t think I needed much help. I went to a meeting every week unless there was something else to do and I didn’t get a Sponsor. I grew, but slowly.
A crisis brought my leisurely approach to recovery to an end. When I lost someone very special to me, the pain was almost more than I could stand. I was lucky; I had learned enough to pick up the phone and call someone in Al-Anon. That person helped me to make it through the crisis, but that was only the beginning. I saw how badly I needed the strength and skills that Al-Anon had to offer. I began going to quite a few meetings each week, doing service work, calling Al-Anon friends. My recovery really took off! Today, practicing the program gets top priority in my life, because I know where I would have wound up without that crisis.
Today’s Reminder:
Sometimes the greatest growth comes through pain, but it’s not the pain that helps me grow, it’s my response to it. Will I suffer through the experience and continue as before or let the pain inspire changes that help me grow? The choice is mine.
“I had learned in Al-Anon to look for opportunities for growth in every situation. This attitude allowed me to gain many spiritual riches from the pain I was experiencing.”
– In All Our Affairs