Courage to Heal
By Barbi T., Florida (image from the WSO)
I imagined a bandage covering an open wound: the alcoholism of someone else and its effects on my life. I covered it carefully, hiding it from everyone around me because I did not want to reveal its cause.
Over time, and with the help of Al-Anon, I realized that only after I was willing to remove the bandage, look at the wound, and openly discuss it with others who also tended to hide their wounds, would I begin to heal. I had to accept that being willing to say my naked truth was the only way to heal. Al-Anon gave me a safe place to do this. I had to discover the courage to let the wound heal over, even if it left a scar, trusting that I no longer needed to cover it up to be okay.
I learned from the Steps, the slogans, and, most importantly, my Sponsor that we can heal our wounds safely and without judgment in the rooms of Al-Anon. Today, I look at my scar and understand that it no longer has any power over me.
Reprinted with permission of The Forum, Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc., Virginia Beach, VA.