wordsworth

D: Last night I chaired the College Park Al-Anon meeting…it was Tradition night…Tradition 8: Al-Anon Twelfth Step work should remain forever non-professional, but our service centers may employ special workers.

I shared a little first…about how I was glad that when I called Al-Anon the first time, there was a voice on the other end of the line…thankful for the volunteers. The meeting changed topic pretty early when one of the long-timers read one of the questions at the back of the tradition: Do I ever have a tendency to be a know-it-all? Being right was the topic for the rest of the night…from “correcting my husband’s joke when he gets it wrong” to “I was never a know-it-all” to “letting go of being right” to “enjoying being right” and everything inbetween. I had an aha moment as one of the people were sharing…I realized that being right…for me…makes me feel secure…that if I’m right, or at least think I am, then my perceptions are on target…I’m processing my world correctly…my judgements are sound…to not be right means all this is off…and that’s when things get scary, insecure, unsure, off balance…I added that with learning to let go of being right I’ve found a new sense of freedom…a different security…not so scary afterall. It was a neat moment to realize why being right has been so important to me and why letting go of being right is becoming just as important. Oh doesn’t it just feel good to be right? (Don’t answer that…it’s a rhetorical question…a kind of punctuated joke just for you as I hear you – or maybe it’s myself – telling me…’Jen, watch out…here you go again!’).

The close was a perfect time to share my story of being in 7th grade print shop class…the only girl in 7th grade print shop class…and printing that oh-so-clever-card with the saying from Charles Schwartz’ Lucy: If everybody agreed with me they’d all be right. I still love it – with a knowing smile – how perfect! I called it my “ticket to Al-Anon” and everybody laughed…it was a light-hearted way to end the meeting and a good reminder that I still have much to learn in recovery from myself.

Well, I’ve got about an hour to clean up things around here before I pick up Ellen from Band Practice. She has band practice every Tuesday and Thursday from 5;30-8:30 pm. Her first week of high school is going really well…she’ll have lots to share with you. I’ll work on getting an ical posted over the weekend.

I imagine you watching the sunset over the lake. Have a good night.

Jen