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VERSION:2.0
PRODID:icalendar-ruby
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260314T232913Z
UID:158-1372318@graceunitedthornbury.ca
DTSTART:20250319T233000Z
DTEND:20250320T010000Z
CLASS:PUBLIC
CREATED:20260314T170913
DESCRIPTION:All are welcome to the weekly meetings on Wednesdays 7:30pm in 
 the Lower Hall at Grace United Church.\n(Al-Anon website: https://al-anon.
 alateen.on.ca)\n \nSome Thoughts on “Helping” \n(“I would become s
 tricken with imagined grief\, as if I were in his shoes.”)\nFrom The For
 um (May 2023)\, by Ellen S.\, Oregon\n \nAl Anon saved my life.  I truly
  believe if I had not found this program\, I would have died.  Yet here I
  am\, able to find happiness and joy\, even though my life’s circumstanc
 es aren’t perfect.\nMy program really came alive for me when I felt I ha
 d no choice but to kick my underage son out of the house.  While it was o
 ne of the most painful things I had ever done\, letting him stay in our ho
 me was even more painful. \nTo help me get through the hard times\, I wou
 ld meditate on the following ideas: \n\nIt’s happening to him - it’s 
 not happening to me\nOh\, what a good empathizer I was\, imagining my poor
  son hungry\, cold\, lonely\, sad\, and tired.  Yet he was living his lif
 e.  Al Anon\, showed how to live my life fully and not project my imagini
 ngs onto what he might be going through. \n“Helping” him is not helpi
 ng him.  Handouts just prolonged his disease.  I wanted to make myself f
 eel better\, and the temporary relief would eventually become regret \nEa
 ch time I rescued him\, it gave the message that someone would always take
  care of him.  I learned to say no every single time he asked for somethi
 ng.\nWhat would he do if I were dead?  When I felt obligated to help him\
 , I would be reminded to detach with love.\nIf I did choose to buy him a m
 eal or pay for a haircut\, I could take the time I needed to think and not
  react. \n\nIn Al Anon\, I’ve found many tools that I can rely on to he
 lp me get through challenging times.  If I think I want to give something
  to the alcoholic or help him in some way\, I will seek my Higher Power’
 s wisdom before deciding.  I can always do it tomorrow. 
LAST-MODIFIED:20260314T170913
LOCATION:Lower Hall
SUMMARY:Al-Anon
URL;VALUE=URI:https://www.graceunitedthornbury.ca/events/al-anon/2025-03-19
ATTACH;FILENAME=Al-Anon-Image.jpg;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://dq5pwpg1q8ru0.
 cloudfront.net/2023/08/16/06/11/52/919617e9-567e-4ade-b75a-9793811f95a0/Al
 -Anon-Image.jpg
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