For Today: December 28th

I love you.  I bless you. I release you to your own indwelling presence of God.

Author unknown

It is nothing less than a complete turnabout that this program brings into being.  It gives me the amazing ability to release the people I love; to detach myself from their pain and turmoil and suffering, and turn them over in love to that same Power within that is directing me.

This act of release, performed daily in a moment of quiet prayer, exerts incredible influence on those I would help.  I say and do only what is necessary to attend to my everyday responsibilities, showing the love I feel and radiating the calmness and peace that come from giving up control.

For Today:  I turn over responsibility for the lives of others to the same Higher Power within each of them that manages my own life.

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I have a slight problem with the message here………the part which says, “I say and do only what is necessary to attend to my everyday responsibilities, showing the love I feel and radiating the calmness and peace that come from giving up control.”  My 85 year old mom has been seriously ill, and a patient in a hospital that has been fouling up her care something awful.

I have not been calm in certain instances……….I have not said and done only what was necessary to attend to my everyday responsibilities…………instead, I was a voice for my mother………who was incapable of being a voice for herself.  I raised hell. I filed complaints.  I may have over-reacted, ditched my always calm & cool demeanor…………and I’d do it AGAIN in a New York minute.

I’m not sure that this message applies to all situations at all times….? And, if it does, then this is where OA and I have a disagreement.  I could not, and cannot, and will not, detach myself from my loved ones pain, turmoil and suffering at all times.

When I arrived home from the hospital in the evenings, I prayed for God to care for my folks………..I prayed for God’s will to prevail.  But I worked my butt off to do what I could do………..to control what I could control in the meantime.

I'm not sure I'm even interpreting this OA message correctly. All I DO know is........I am grateful for maintaining my abstinence throughout this holiday season, thanks to this amazing program! One day at a time............all I have to worry about is the next 24 hours, and, for 24 hours, I can do anything!