--- In chicagoalanon@yahoogroups.com, participation_is_key_to_harmony
<no_reply@...> wrote:
>Thank you for sharing.
> I am Jim C., a grateful member of Al-Anon.
>
> We have the choice to allow and encourage others to freely live
and
> choose their paths and live with the consequences of their
choices.
> We can choose to not interfere with their lives and their choices.
> My sister was arrested and locked up two nights ago for her
> criminal activity. She is dangerous to others and to herself. As
it
> usually happens, a family member bailed her out. The family member
> went to my sister's home and experienced the squalor and stench of
my
> sister's way of living. The family member has been very badly
abused
> by my sister for over 20 years. He went and bailed her out
anyway.
> She returned to her home.
> My job in this life is to stay recovered and help others
recover.
> No matter how much I love or care for another, I must keep focused
on
> my primary purpose. I cannot do anything to endanger my primary
> purpose. And I cannot do anything that enables others to harm
> themselves, because that results in my harming myself and my
> integrity in recovery. I must stay out of the way of others' paths
> and gain strength and readiness in God and Al-Anon for those who I
> can help.
> Someday, maybe, I will be here when another family member
enters.
> No matter what happens, family or no family, I must stick to my
> primary purpose.
>
> Thanks for letting me share.
>