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.

Reprinted from the Winter 2009 issue of S-Anews©.