December 16

Today's Thought:

When I'm feeling good about myself, I can readily admit my mistakes, make amends and move on. To hell with other people's mistakes -- quite frankly I could care less if they get 'caught' or apologize or whatever.

Submitted By:

Rose R.

December 17

Today's Thought:

I have let all my close friends know I am in recovery. One of them could not deal with it. I tried to explain, but they just could not accept it and responded by staying on the attack. I have detached from them as much as it pains me.

Submitted By:

Grace

December 18

Today's Thought:

I too blamed myself and thought, oh if only I'd done things differently, blah blah blah. Someone at an Al-Anon meeting said she treated all her relationships like "please let me fix you so then you can fill the hole in me." Bingo, that was me, in addition to the fact that I was dealing with a sociopath.

Submitted By:

Molly

December 19

Today's Thought:

Quite the interesting dynamic when it's kids who need help. I chose my boyfriend; chose to marry him. But the kids? I "made" them. Oh yikes, talk about guilt! Al-Anon was there for me and I surely am grateful for that.

Submitted By:

Rose R.

December 20

Today's Thought:

From what I've seen over many years, I truly believe there is just so much more to sobriety than "putting the plug in the jug." Without changes in attitude, activities, friends, etc., all you have is a "dry drunk" - still got the same problems and coping skills, just doing life without booze.

Submitted By:

Rose R.

December 21

Today's Thought:

Even though the drinking is not the main problem, we are not going to see solutions to the problems in our lives if we are constantly drunk. Sobriety has to come first along with a sincere desire to clean up our life and find that direction we want the rest of it to take. First you get sober, then you get better.

Submitted By:

Neal

December 22

Today's Thought:

My wife and I were able to save our marriage of nine years when I got sober. It has taken alot of work, from both of us, but the rewards we have been blessed with cannot be counted. The most important thing we needed was honesty. We are honest with each other today, and are rebuilding the trust that was once lost.

Submitted By:

Jon

December 23

Today's Thought:

Learning to enjoy my own company is a first for me. I always thought that lonesome hours had to be filled with something or someone. In the past, when everything was calm, I usually felt uncomfortable, waiting for something bad to happen.

Submitted By:

Grace

Dancer, (so cute, reminds me of the reindeer), Thank you for your post. Reminds me of my brothers. Both were terribly abusive to my mom and me at Thanksgiving, and she puts up with it and condones their behavior. I am not going to my mom's for Christmas, because I do not deserve to be abused any more. Thank you for your post. It helped me hold fast to my decision. You are in my prayers!

Lorin, Thank you for your courage. It is sustaining me in my decision to stay away from family at Christmas. My two brothers are very abusive and rageful, and I am very tired of it and my mother condoning their behavior. You will be in my prayers.

December 24

Today's Thought:

Eventually, he realized that what I was doing was a good thing. He saw me change. He saw me taking an interest in life and in him. He was glad that I was getting better, and stopped resenting AA and my friends. He even went to a few open meetings and for coffee after. He saw what these people meant to me.

Submitted By:

Libby

December 25

Today's Thought:

It will be a rough road, but already the children and myself are happier. There is no tension in the house, no fighting and there is a sense of hope. People who have seen me say there is no fear in my eyes anymore. Al-Anon has also really helped me and so has my faith.

Submitted By:

Nancy

December 26

Today's Thought:

It took more pain and heartache and a very close call with a relapse to convince me that I needed to quit the debate and "just do it." I learned that I really did need to "clean house" and the experience was incredibly freeing.
I could either burden myself with all of that baggage from the past or burdon myself with this intellectual nit picking discussion of the details of the program. Both were standing in the way of true freedom and happiness and a very full and complete new life. That's the best deal I have ever been offered.

Submitted By:

TEXT

December 27

Today's Thought:

I developed certain "defects" in my character, the biggest of these being the "poor me" syndrome. When my head started to clear, I became to quickly realize these defects were with me before alcohol became a problem. Booze just magnified it. I learned about gratitude and it put much of the "Poor me why don't I have this ... why is my life so miserable ...." thoughts aside.

Submitted By:

Walt

December 28

Today's Thought:

I always thought I could just hang in there because someday he would see how he was contaminating the marriage. Well you know what? That day never came. I said enough is enough. It was like taking care of another child.

Submitted By:

Deanna