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Sample Stories From the Winter 2009 Issue of The S-Anews©
The Gifts of the Program
Members
share some of the gifts they have
received from the S-Anon program.
Gratitude
S-Anon has blessed me with precious gifts over the years.
The ones I am most grateful for are: the ability to make
better choices for myself; recognizing and responding (not
reacting) to unhealthy situations; and knowing and loving
myself.
When I listen to others share their experience, strength, and hope I
receive insights regarding where I came from and where I am going. It
humbles me. I am a work in progress. Years ago that wouldn’t have been
good enough: I expected to be perfect and I expected others to be perfect,
too.
Service work helps to ground me in reality and gives me a sense of
belonging. Whether the work is serving as treasurer for my local group,
leading meetings, setting up or cleaning up after meetings, or sharing
insights from Conference Approved Literature, all of it strengthens my
recovery.
An unexpected gift of the Program is to see my adult children make
better choices in their lives and recognize unhealthy relationship
dynamics. I had hoped for that initially, yet didn’t know if I would ever
see it come into fruition. Having one sane parent does make a difference
in the lives of my adult children (my ex husband has not chosen recovery).
To see my children make healthy choices gives me tears of joy.
Soon I will become a grandmother for the first time. The best gift I
can give to my grandchild is my gift of recovery. I have S-Anon and my
recovery family to thank for that amazing gift.
The Greatest Gift
I always say that the Number One Affliction in our marriage
brought to me the greatest gift in my life!! Sexaholism
brought me to my knees as nothing else could ever have. I had
a religious upbringing, but had no personal relationship with
the God that I "THOUGHT" I was serving.
Once I accepted that I was powerless to control the sexaholic's
sobriety and to control my own life, I needed to find the God of my
understanding who I could let be in control of my life.
I found this personal connection from working the S-Anon Steps, going
to meetings, attending International Conventions (I've been to 20
consecutive Conventions, and a total of 24.), working with my sponsor, and
my spiritual director.
I learned that I needed to seek a relationship with God in order to
have one!! I needed to develop prayer and conscious contact with the God
of my understanding "every morning" and to use meditation to listen to His
guidance. I learned to do a Tenth Step every night in thanksgiving for
the day, and to acknowledge the good and the bad parts of each day. These
helped me to establish my relationship with my Higher Power and with which
I now am blessed.
I would never have had the GOOD people that I have in my life now if it
was not for this S-Anon Program!! My spouse became a changed person, too,
and our ten years together in this Program gave us the most loving,
joyful, and peaceful times in our marriage!!
Also, without God in my life, I would have never been able to move
through all of the painful losses that I have "trudged" through these last
eleven years.
If I work the Program, and seek a Personal relationship with my Higher
Power, the Gifts of the Program will materialize, and the change in us
will bring Peace, Love ( of ourselves, too), and Acceptance!!
God Bless and "Keep Coming Back" because it’s worth it and so are YOU!
S-Anews Archives for 2009
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