The Emotional Weather Vane

I baked a chocolate cake Saturday morning, went to my meetings, met with Al-Anon sponsor, plus had an impromptu AA meeting with an elderly woman who showed-up looking for a meeting.

In AA we're taught to say "yes" when asked to be of service...in Al-Anon, it seems to me, we're taught to say "no', that "no" is a complete sentence but my sponsor explained it's more about discernment, to consider a balanced point of view. Well, there you go...more will be revealed.

Anyway, that night I took the birthday cake to the party and truly enjoyed myself. There were very talented musicians in the house (of course, this is Austin, Texas where it seems there's at least 2 musicians in every bush! LOL). They played classical guitar and violin, then another musician had a very peculiar shaped guitar and she sang soprano, then next thing you know we were all in a sing-a-long, harmonizing, blending our voices...beautiful.

Finally I arrived back home in time to feed Elvis and Stitch. We relaxed and rested while Sho whooped and hollered at the UT football game. I played my guitar, sang a couple songs and went to sleep. All was well with my soul...

Then Sunday came and went. I dropped-off Stitch at his home then went to Al-Anon and there was a bit of ruckus after the meeting but it did calm down later on. Principles before personalities indeed.

Who am I to judge anyone? There, but for the grace of GOD, go I.

I will say this...my sponsor was very clear with me...definitely, Al-Anonism is very presenting. To keep the focus on me, mmob (mind my own business), turn-up the self-care...jeesh. So it is.

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P.S. I did talk with my boss yesterday re: job search. I put this in my Higher Power's Hands.

Hope for Today, "...I was like a weather vane that spun around according to the air currents that other people generated...husband criticized me...I lost my serenity...boss became upset...lost my sernity...I attributed these mood swings to nervousness, lack of self-assurance, and whoever else occupied the room at that time...Serenity always seemed beyond my control...was convinced I needed quietness to feel serene, so I retreated...today I don't need to withdraw to quiet places nearly as often...don't need to run away from life...can even stand in the middle of a frenzied atmosphere and let it swirl around me, while I remain unaffected...can tell myself to hush when my mind enters the muddy waters of "what if"...can sit still to the present moment and feel grateful...In my gratitude I experience serenity that I never knew before...comes from trusting that everything in my life is exactly as it should be...feel it when I apply a slogan rather than panic about something...when I choose to care for myself rather than to fix someone else...surrounds me when I seek GOD's will in prayer and meditation...envelopes me whenever I walk into an Al-Anon meeting, see the familiar faces of those who accompany me on my journey, and I know, once again, I am not alone..."Today I know that sanity and serenity are the gifts I have received for my efforts and my faith."---Courage to Change p. 248

ODAT, "Listen and Learn"...cultivate the knack of listening---uncritically---to everything we hear at a meeting or from an Al-Anon friend..."It is the privilege of wisdom to listen."-O.W. Holmes

Courage to Change, "You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working; and just so you learn to love GOD and man by loving. Begin as a mere apprentice and the very power of love will lead you on to become a master of the art."---Francis de Sales

Dear Sweet Lord GOD Creator, Great Spirit, thank YOU for this awesome journey and the multiple opportunities provided to practice loving YOU. O Lord, thank YOU for the bounteous beauty of each unfolding moment. Lord, YOU are The Source, The Greatest of All. Please help me be of service to YOU and my brothers and sisters in the Spirit. As YOU will. Love, Carol xoxox