If you want to be happy, be happy on purpose. When you wake up in the morning, you can't just wait and see what kind of day you'll have. You have to decide what kind of day you'll have. Higher thoughts. Higher energies. Higher vibrations. Higher Frequencies. Higher experiences.​
There is a loveliness to life that does not fade. Even in the terrors of the night, there is a tendency toward grace that does not fail us. -Robert Goolrick
I think, deep down, when a situation happens, I always know the “right” thing to do first. I always know what my Higher Power would want me to do. However, my default is often to then “catastrophize” the situation and then set aside what I feel the “right” thing to do is, and then react based on the fear of the consequences. I used to think this was disheartening and proof that I was irreparably damaged and that my Higher Power had forsaken me, but now I know that that means there’s hope.
I realize now, that I am not irreparably damaged. I made choices based on the tools I had in the past and I did the best that I could. But the simple fact that I made those choices indicates to me that I can now make another choice. And because I never lost sight of what the “right” thing was (even if I attempted to ignore it), I know that I can now make different choices in recovery. My Higher Power never left me. The proof is in the fact that I always knew what the right thing to do was. I always had that tendency towards grace even if I chose not to honor it. Today, I know I can choose.
My Himble Opinion
When I first purchased services from an Internet provider, I found Al-Anon was on-line! In the member profiles it surprised me to see that a large number of people listed Al-Anon as an interest or hobby. It amazed me that I could actually find on-line meetings.
The alcoholic and I were going through a rough time then. I was staying home quite a bit to care for our seven-year-old son. It seemed that when I needed the program most, I couldn’t leave the house to attend additional meetings. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to attend meetings. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to attend meetings on-line. I found so much love and support in those “rooms” and made many new friends. I decided to join an Al-Anon e-mail list. Bothe connections have been instrumental in my recovery.
I found so many different people this way. There are long-time Al-Anon members who participate, as well as newcomers. For many of the new people, this is their first exposure to the program. On-line meeting offer safety and anonymity to those who cannot leave home to attend face-to-face meetings for a variety of reasons. There are also a few people who have not yet found the courage to try an Al-Anon meeting in person. Although it can be a difficult step for some to take, everyone receives encouragement to attend face to face meetings to get Al-Anon’s maximum benefits and growth. These meetings provide structure and offer a good variety of topics for discussion. In my humble opinion, they can be as good as meetings that are face-to-face.
This is a good way for me to do Twelfth Step work, too. I can reach out to people I would never have met, and I get to communicate all over the world. The experience has truly enriched me.
By Lisa W., Virginia March, 2000 ​ ​ ​