Changing Attitudes

I have not written much for this blog this month for several reasons. First, I have some personal things that I don’t feel like exploring here right now. Also, I just finished Nanowrimo  – which is writing 50,000 words of a novel during the month of November. I am preparing some entries on Step and Tradition 11, to be posted soon.  

(Photo by ScooterZen of Stock.xhhng.)

I have been going to meetings and doing my Al Anon studies, though. I somehow switched up my meetings. Now I go to a Monday night literature meeting with people I have not seen in a long time, instead of my crowded Wednesday night step study meeting. On Saturday evenings I found a great legacy meeting – they address the step, tradition and concept of the month as an interconnecting unit.

On Wednesday before Thanksgiving I went to a meeting that I do not get to unless I have a day off (which I did that day). I was not sure I wanted to go as I had a lot of Thanksgiving prep to do. (I bake all of the pies for our gathering while Boyfriend’s sister does the turkey.) I ran into a friend I have not seen in a long time and told her about my personal situation, which, while I was adjusting to it, was very stressful. Instead of seeing this as loss and unwanted change, she said. “How wonderful that you are able to make that change!” That was all that I needed from that meeting that day – that one sentence from her reminded me to adjust my attitude.

In Al Anon we talk a lot about changing attitudes, but it is not always easy to put it in the perspective without someone else to talk to. That meeting, of course, turned to be about changing attitudes. I was reminded to not let other disturb my serenity and that I had to sometimes wait and “move through” my problems without letting them get the best of me.