Daily Reflections reading August
23rd
Bringing The Message Home
Can we bring the same spirit of love and tolerance into our sometimes deranged family lives that we bring to our A.A. group? TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS , pp. 111 -112
My family members suffer from the effects of my disease. Loving and accepting them as they are – just as I love and accept A.A. members – fosters a return of love, tolerance and harmony to my life. Using common courtesy and respecting other’s personal boundaries are necessary practices for all areas of my life.
© Alcoholics Anonymous World Services
My thoughts on August 23rd
Reading
My recovery was slow because I wanted to
get sober just to get my wife and kids back, I wanted every thing to be good
again, this was not to happen, we never did get back together, but my kids sure
liked the changes I had made. This is where my family after started with them
I became a father to them, instead of
ruling over there little lives, they were five and eight when I sobered up, it
was not until I had a spiritual experience that I started to share my new
knowledge of God and what he was doing for me, I guess at that time I wanted to
shout it from the roof tops
there is a God and he has saved me from a
life of self destruction, I was going to save the world, I did see that I had a
distorted way of looking at this new
found faith, but also saw it was one sided at that time, after all I was the
one who had this white light spiritual experience, not my family
I needed balance in my ways, a spiritual
life that does not include family may not be so perfect after all, knowing I
could not give this to everyone I met, I started to share my spiritual
experience with my children, because at this time I became a real father to them,
we used to go camping a lot
we had a camp site next to a small open
field, at night we would lay in the field and look to the stars finding peace
and serenity, My daughter always wanted me to tell her about how God came down
and helped me out of the big hole I dug myself into, walking in circles when
drunk
digging the hole deeper, the hole got so
deep that I could not climb out by myself, I needed help I called out for
someone to help me, it was at this time God reached deep down into the hole
grabbed my hand, lifted me out of that pit of despair I had been in so long
I did finally stop walking around that
bottle going in circles on that day we had started a new relationship, founded
on the principles of a spiritual way of life I had learned in the halls of AA,
I became a father who could teach his children love and respect for everyone
for the rest of my family well lets say
my brothers could have used the program, but this is about how I related to
them after recovery, we had a very hard relationship, a lot of hurt and anger
was exchanged, I was the youngest of 4 boys, so I got the crap end of most
things
till I found alcohol could make me 10
feet tall and no one could ever make me hurt again I went to live with Mom the
first 6 months of sobriety, it was first time I ever saw her cry with joy, the
day I told her I needed help, I was going into treatment to get help
well I did make a lot of amends to all of
them, even my x wife, we are friends today and we had shared in raising the
kids, today I have a wonderful family, beautiful life, with my angel Sandy, we
have watch our kids grow up with us both being sober
we have a fantastic relationship with our
family and were truly bless by God, the AA fellowship has taught us about
ourselves I can sure identify with others who have active family members in
trouble, I like so many others, had to finally turn it all over to God’s care
just praying but still talking to our son
about his alcohol abuse, hopefully in Gods time he will see the light and go
for the help to find his recovery and a new way of life
God bless you Al M
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suggestions or comments
