One Day at a Time in Al-Anon:
The newcomer to Al-Anon is looking for answers to a problem. The questions often begin with these two words: “WHAT IF…” What if we lose our home? What if he has an accident with the car? What if he stays out all night, loses his job, gets into fights, goes to jail? What if… ?
In Al-Anon we call this “projecting”— looking into the future and trying to imagine what may happen. The future — even as close as tomorrow — is a closed book. We cannot know what it holds, and the more we look for disaster, the more we invite it. Because the past has been unhappy is no index that the future will continue to be. This is something only God knows, and we would do well to trust in His loving wisdom and root out all our thoughts that “things can’t get better.”
Today’s Reminder:
It is health to the mind and body to look to the future with confidence. Lifting up our hearts is better preparation for disappointments, if they should come. Negative anticipating only increases the impact of unhappy incidents. Let’s improve the outlook!
“ ‘The thing that I have greatly feared has come upon me…’ says the Bible. I will not give reality to trouble that may never come.”