A mother wrote to me: As I prepare for Hurricane Irene, I think about addiction as hurricane. It spirals out of control, spreads laterally affecting unforeseen victims and causing damage. We can prepare all we want, but we are powerless over it. We clear our decks of furniture (protect ourselves from addiction’s path), prepare with food and water (go to Al-Anon) and use common sense (educate ourselves). I have felt like a hostage to this disease.
A reflection on the above passage: Addiction creeps into our lives with just a whisper. Often we live in denial: We hear the forecast and the winds, but we are sure it will pass us by. Then the destruction starts and we find ourselves in the middle of a storm over which we have no control.
Today’s promise to consider: I can’t control addiction’s destruction, but I can join hands with others, pray, hope and stay close. With hard work, love and commitment, my loved one can live a productive life in abstinence. I pray that he chooses to fight for his own life. I cannot win this battle for him.
Hi Libby, my son often describes himself as a ‘walking tornado’ when he is in the throws of addiction (I never realized he had this much insight into his disease). Today, he is good…real good. He is fighting the fight and I am trying to ‘stay out of the way.’
Thank you for your weekly passage and reflection.
Love to you and your family,
Nanci
Dear Nanci, it’s so good to hear that your son is good. I wish him (and you) good luck with his continued sobriety. Your son will get a special prayer from me tonight.
Dear Libby, you’ve helped so many mothers who are thrown into the destruction of this disease. I also want to thank you for your weekly meditations.
Love to all of you,
Barbara
Barbara
Dear Nanci, Your son calls himself a ‘walking tornado’ when he is in active addiction. I agree with you that this shows incredible insight. He’s good today. God bless you both!
Dear Barbara, Your support and ‘staying close’ makes us all better. I always smile when I see your comments. Thanks,
Libby
Dear Barbara,
Many thanks for your thoughts and prayers. You are so kind to keep us close to your heart.
Love to you, Nanci
Your words are so true! Addiction does creep in before we know what has happened, it’s there in full force. Everyone needs to fight their own battles and live their own lives, which is hard for us moms at times to fully grasp. But Al-Anon for me has been so helpful to learn this concept.
Dear Cathy,
Jeff and I were talking this morning about your very point. Moms are moms and we want to ‘fix’ things, take care of our children and attack the addiction. But the battle is counter-intuitive and we need to stay out of the way in love (stay close) and allow our loved ones to fight their own battle.
Al-Anon is our life line.
Libby