A Little Ray of Sunshine

Today at lunch (I am posting on Friday night), I had a text message exchange with my daughter - while sitting with her twin sister, dining on some yummmmmy pasta.  The above photo was from the restaurant.  I found out later the restaurant is a chain, so maybe some of you have seen a room like this at a restaurant near your very own home, but I liked it enough to take a photo.

So, my daughter has been going to AA meetings all week.  I have tried to just act like this is normal behavior and not get all wigged out about it.  But today was awesome.  She texted me this morning asking where a certain group was and if they had a noon meeting.  Now, I haven't been to that group since 1988 - so I didn't really know.  I looked it up online.  I texted my daughter the address and told her the noon meeting was at 12:00 (ha ha).  

At 12:15, she texted me "what does Big Ed look like?"  Oh, that just made me so happy.  When she told me she was going to that group, I was hoping that Ed would be there, but thought it was a long shot.  Ed was my boyfriend on and off for 10 years.  Ed has been sober since February 17, 1973.  I LOVE ED.  So, I wrote back that "he's big - in his late 60s now... is he there?"  

Then "Maybe, there is an older guy named ed.  He has glasses and a baseball cap on backwards."  

Me:  "That is him, I am sure."

Sweet Daughter:  "Ok, if I talk to him I will say hi for you, they called on me, so he probably knows who I am."

Sweet Daughter, 35 minutes later: "Ed says hi."

(I know that what we did was wrong, but I just couldn't help it.) 

So later in the day, my daughter called.  We talked.  My heart is bursting with joy.  She got to experience the same AA that I got sober in, and she loved it.  The same rough and tumble and no nonsense AA that I learned to love.  The topic of the meeting was "dealing with losses."  My dear old love and wonderful friend said "that's a bunch of shit, you guys didn't 'lose' anything, you GAVE it away."  She told me a few other choice tidbits Ed had to say and it made my heart so happy.  Mainly because she loved it too.  

So, by gum, it is NOT generational.  It is personal.  I don't think everyone has to love the rude old hard-asses that I credit for so much of what I learned in my early years in AA, but I am so very grateful that my daughter does.  I am grateful it is still there and that she did not decide to take offense at some rough language and hard core attitudes.  

I am really turning into a texting fool... after work, I texted my son and asked him if he is coming over to watch the Super Bowl... imagine this, he has a party to go to!  WHAT?  Instead of his mother's?  What is he thinking?  Anyway, I asked him if he could install a new ceiling fan in my bedroom.  He said he would do it tomorrow - so I had to rush out and get the fan for him to install.  It is pretty.  I think that is the last lighting fixture I wanted to replace in this house.  

I feel a glimmer of light in my soul.  This has been a pretty dark time - with the exception of my trip to Phoenix.  I know that I usually find this time of the year difficult.  This weekend is supposed to be nice.  AND I get my hair cut tomorrow!  Yippeee!