Yesterday was a busy day..so.. as you can see, I blew off the blog spot. Interesting night though. I actually went to an Al-Anon meeting down on Midway and Royal ln. I had many misconceptions of what Al-Anon really was all about. I thought is was going to be a 'boo-hoo' whiney meeting for friends and families of addicts that would assist you in how you can help those addicts. The meeting turned out to be such an eye-opening experience.
Let me explain: I do know a few friends that have 'partied hard' in the 80's, and never stopped. One friend in particular has struggled with alcohol and cocaine. After he destroyed the inside of his nose from snorting coke for so many years, he found that it would work better to switch to smoking crack! It is a baffling, destructive, sickness. I have done everything I could do to help him over the last 3 years, from him being homeless and living on the roof of a convenient store eating an occasional pigeon or dumpster diving, to what I would now consider a clean-cut productive human being. He could write a book about everything he's been through, and I could write one too, by just explaining everything I've done to help him. He's had times of sobriety in these last few years, along with many relapses.
Needless to say, I was WORN OUT trying to help him. I can tell you where crack houses are all over Dallas. I can tell you what streets you go to, to buy crack. I know the phone numbers of dealers, and I know the lingo. I know so much about crack, that you'd think that I smoked crack myself. Thank you GOD..that I know how evil and cunning addictions can be..and I've never ever been tempted to try it. But, I'm here to tell you today, that as heartbreaking and exhausting it is to see a friend or family member deal with these powerful addictions, that there IS help for YOU.
AT this particular Al-Anon meeting they use "The Big Book" just like the AA meeting does. The difference is that you remove the word "alcoholic" and replace it with the words "control freak".
WHAT?? CONTROL FREAK???? That's EXACTLY what I've been doing..being a control freak..and trying to dictate what he and a lot of other people in my life MUST do. If you remove that idea that you must get into everyone else's business, and control them, it's like a HUGE dark cloud hovering over you is being lifted away. They have you work the 12 steps just as they do in AA. I still have to do the steps, but I can completely see how this will help me. If you, or anyone you know needs help, just ask me. I'm seriously feeling that calm and serenity thing...I'm just bummed-out that it took me so long to find it.
Well hmmm..this blog wasn't that funny at all..what a drag. But tonight I'm taking myself and my menopause friend..along with my 73 yr old mom (menopsause x30 yrs) and my 93 yr old grandma (menopause x40++ yrs) to "Menopause the Musical" at the Eisemann Center in Richardson. I'll let you know if it's any good later..but this is most defintely what I would call a 'Girls Night Out'. I'll feel great sorrow for any man that I see tricked into seeing this.
latererererr,
Donna
Let me explain: I do know a few friends that have 'partied hard' in the 80's, and never stopped. One friend in particular has struggled with alcohol and cocaine. After he destroyed the inside of his nose from snorting coke for so many years, he found that it would work better to switch to smoking crack! It is a baffling, destructive, sickness. I have done everything I could do to help him over the last 3 years, from him being homeless and living on the roof of a convenient store eating an occasional pigeon or dumpster diving, to what I would now consider a clean-cut productive human being. He could write a book about everything he's been through, and I could write one too, by just explaining everything I've done to help him. He's had times of sobriety in these last few years, along with many relapses.
Needless to say, I was WORN OUT trying to help him. I can tell you where crack houses are all over Dallas. I can tell you what streets you go to, to buy crack. I know the phone numbers of dealers, and I know the lingo. I know so much about crack, that you'd think that I smoked crack myself. Thank you GOD..that I know how evil and cunning addictions can be..and I've never ever been tempted to try it. But, I'm here to tell you today, that as heartbreaking and exhausting it is to see a friend or family member deal with these powerful addictions, that there IS help for YOU.
AT this particular Al-Anon meeting they use "The Big Book" just like the AA meeting does. The difference is that you remove the word "alcoholic" and replace it with the words "control freak".
WHAT?? CONTROL FREAK???? That's EXACTLY what I've been doing..being a control freak..and trying to dictate what he and a lot of other people in my life MUST do. If you remove that idea that you must get into everyone else's business, and control them, it's like a HUGE dark cloud hovering over you is being lifted away. They have you work the 12 steps just as they do in AA. I still have to do the steps, but I can completely see how this will help me. If you, or anyone you know needs help, just ask me. I'm seriously feeling that calm and serenity thing...I'm just bummed-out that it took me so long to find it.
Well hmmm..this blog wasn't that funny at all..what a drag. But tonight I'm taking myself and my menopause friend..along with my 73 yr old mom (menopsause x30 yrs) and my 93 yr old grandma (menopause x40++ yrs) to "Menopause the Musical" at the Eisemann Center in Richardson. I'll let you know if it's any good later..but this is most defintely what I would call a 'Girls Night Out'. I'll feel great sorrow for any man that I see tricked into seeing this.
latererererr,
Donna
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