Hope

Dear Readers,
Last night my hubs and I went to the Christmas Carol play.
I couldn't hear any of the words, but I stayed for the whole performance.
Why?
Because it just brought joy to my heart. The costumes, and pageantry were beautiful.
The story is one of hope.

Hope is a word that is helping me through life.
I want to bring hope to people who are struggling with drinking.
There is a good life without drinking.
When I was drinking, I didn't always have hope.
I quickly went into a depressed state, where I couldn't see the joys I had right in front of me.

When things go wrong, as they will at times, if I can turn from the disappointment, or fears, and face things with the knowledge that things will be well, then I am stronger.
Life works out, one way or another, and I have very little control over most things.

But drinking took away that hope.
Drinking made me think there was only one way, and that way was defeat and fear.
Alcohol is a liar.
It promises you the world but robs you of everything.

My father-in-law is in a nursing home now, but he is safe.
Instead of getting so angry about the situation, I talked calmly with everyone, and brought some hope and peace to my husband.
This wouldn't have happened if I was still drinking.
I would have gotten drunk and angry and stayed that way.

My eye surgery is on December 2.
I have hope.
I will pray for my surgeon that all will go well.
It's all I can do.
It's out of my control.

If I were drinking, I would have gotten drunk last night, or tipsy, and cry over my inability to hear the play, and my eye problems.
It would have been "poor me" all night.

But I do have control over the way I approach life.
Today I choose not to drink.
And today I choose hope, a feeling of trust.

With Love on Day 442
Wendy