Wednesday 4/24/24
Celebrate Take time to celebrate. Celebrate your successes, your growth, and your accomplishments. Celebrate you and who you are. For too long you have been too hard on yourself. Others have spilled their negative energy - their attitudes, beliefs, and pain - on you. It had nothing to do with you! All along, you have been a gift to yourself and to the Universe. You are a child of God. Beautiful, a delight, a joy. You do not have to try harder, be better, be perfect, or be anything you are not. Your beauty is in you, just as you are each moment. Celebrate that. When you have a success, when you accomplish something, enjoy it. Pause, reflect, and rejoice. Too long you have listened to admonitions not to feel good about what you have done, lest you travel the downward road to arrogance. Celebration is a high form of praise, of gratitude to the Creator for the beauty of God's creation. To enjoy and celebrate the good does not mean that it will be taken from you. To celebrate is to delight in the gift, to show gratitude. Celebrate your relationships! Celebrate the lessons from the past and the love and warmth that are there today. Enjoy the beauty of others and their connection to you. Celebrate all that is in your life. Celebrate all that is good. Celebrate you! Today, I will indulge in the joy of celebrating On My Toes
When I first came to Al-Anon, I had no idea I was the one who had to change. I grew up in an alcoholic family, but didn’t know it. I didn’t know anything about the family disease of alcoholism even though I married two alcoholics.
Al-Anon was my first introduction to the disease concept and the idea of change. It was a gradual process because first I had to learn who I was, which took me about ten years. When I finally realized the only way for me to change was through the Steps, Traditions, slogans, and other Al-Anon tools, things began to happen. I started to change, and it became the most exciting part of my life. I found my Higher Power in Al-Anon. I’ve always had one, but I didn’t know Him as my personal friend. Now my Higher Power, whom I choose to call God, is my daily companion and we do everything together. I like to greet him in the morning, but sometimes I forget and then I remember that he controls my day---I don’t. Living “One Day at a Time” makes life easier for me. I know I don’t have to be alone. Even though I’ve been in Al-Anon for over 25 years, I still feel the changes in my behavior and attitude. I’ve learned to accept the alcoholic in my life, and I’m still learning to accept my family, people, and life happenings. Al- Anon keeps me on my toes. Sponsoring helps me to keep the focus on myself and helps me to remember when I was a newcomer! I learned how to love and show love to my children. Al-Anon is a legacy I’m passing on to my children and grandchildren. I grew up in this beautiful fellowship and I’m very grateful to my alcoholic because I found Al-Anon. By Teri J., New York January, 2003 Reprinted with permission of The Forum, Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc., Virginia Beach, VA. |
Today's Hope is a Recovery themed site with a focus on Friends and Families of Alcoholics and problem drinkers. We are not affiliated with any 12 Step program. The daily sharings contain a reading from
Al-Anon's Conference Approved publication The Forum, an inspirational quote/saying and a recovery based reading/meditation. The intent of Today's Hope is to share experience, strength and hope. Please take what you like and leave the rest. |