I just finished watching "When Love is not Enough" and found it tough to watch. I wanted to turn it off about half way through. I just could not stand one more drunken debacle of Mr. Bill Wilson - and his disgusting apologies. But, oh, when he sat on the bed at Towns hospital and said he had his spiritual experience, I just started crying, and said out loud - to no one, "he never drank again." He Never Drank Again. And how many millions of people since have had the same experience and Never Drank Again. It is still happening every day. That is certainly my story.Perhaps it is the alcoholic in me who found this to be Bill Wilson's story through the eyes of Lois. I was hoping to see more of Lois' story. Perhaps this is my perspective though...
Day two of my vacation was very good. I tried to walk 6 miles, but didn't have the patience for it, so I ran 3 of it. So walk 3/ run 3. It is hard to walk long distances.
Then I met my friend and her mother and father at my Alma Mater to go to mass at 11 a.m. It was lovely. I had never met her parents before. They are from Ireland. I walked around the campus and took photos after mass. (but still used a cell phone photo taken on my run this morning for this post.)
Today is my eldest brother's 72nd birthday. Yikes. I called him to wish him a happy birthday. Then I decided to call my second eldest brother. Then my youngest brother (who is 10 years older than me). Then my sister (7 years older than me). A couple of hours later, I had spoken to everyone in my family of origin. What a wonderful thing.
I am gratefully connected to several different kinds of families. My family family. My AA family. My work family. My church family. My neighborhood family. I am sure I could increase the list. I am so grateful to be considered a part of any of these.
And now it is snowing. I am acclimating to the life of a person who does not have to get up early in the morning.... look at me, up at 11 p.m.! Crazy! Tomorrow I do not have to drive through the late April snow to get to work! Yippee!
12 comments:
I had a tough time watching it too because I identified with Lois and her anger, sadness, and utter loss of trust. I had a clenched feeling in my gut. But I thought the movie told an important message. I am grateful for that.
I recorded it but could not watch it yet (?) I was just afraid to on many levels. I had hoped for the story of Lois also.
I listened to screaming neighbor kids in my pool all day yesterday and you have snow. I can't understand that.
I would be thrilled if I had the patience to call each of my family memebers in one day....AWESOME.
Enjoy your time off little tulip bud.
I kinda felt like there were inconsistencies in what I had learned about how the alanon fellowship grew, and about how much anne and lois participated within the fellowship with the men before forming alanon.
I just wasn't sure about it and it felt weird.
I recorded it too but it was too late to watch it last night. I'll get to it tonight.Yup can only take so much in the drunkalog department
they had a really great opportunity here...
I haven't even heard of it. I'll have to look it up. I think it's a good thing to see the drunkalogues of Bill and Bob. I have met people who deify and sanctify them as if they were saints, inspired by God to lead alcoholics from darkness to light. Who think of them as perfect in some strange way.
Bill and Bob were drunks like you and me (well, not Syd... ♥). God touched them. God touched others through them. So I don't mind the idea of seeing a disgusting, drunk, pathetic Bill W.. We shouldn't forget that AA is by God, for us.
And please note that I am not speaking of anyone here, including you, MC, when I say that people have sanctified Bill and Bob. I know, very clearly, that you are not in that group.
Oh AnyEdge, I am SO not in that group. I know they would be rolling over in their graves at the way they are deified by many of us.
I agree with your comment about it being Bill's story told through the eyes of Lois more than Lois' story. Too bad there wasn't more about those who were helped even though their loved one continued to drink.
Kim from sAn Antonio
I love being a drunk.
In recovery.
Yes, I thought it was Bill's story through Lois' eyes. And I didn't like how it blurred the line between truth and fiction in some instances. (Also, I was bored by the whole thing, but that's probably true of any Hallmark movie...)
I didn't get to see the movie, so what I really liked about your post today is your connection to...all of those things you get to have in your life. It's a slow road back for me, if any with some, but what can I do? Stay sober.
Have a good break --
Freedom from the compulsion to drink is such a miracle.
I thought I'd set it to record and hadn't so I will have to see it on a replay.
It was similarly jarring to me to stand at Stepping Stones and read, in the family bible, the several (~8?) pledges ("...with and without a solemn oath...") that Bill wrote out that he would stop drinking. Wow.
Blessings and aloha...
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