Truly a Grateful Al-Anon for 14 years since June 1984. Did not grow up around alcohol. Brought up in the church and was taught to pray "Thy Will be done" but did not mean it. Had control issues. Always wanted to be like "those" people that had money. Wore a mask. Captain of the cheerleaders but felt she did not deserve it.
Went to college and met a man with money who was the life of the party. Made her feel important. Started trying to stop him from drinking early. Dated for 7 years. Had a "Happy ever after dream". Got married and the drinking got worse, the harder she tried to get him to stop the harder he drank. Habitual DUI violator - pulled a gun on her once. Stuffed the fear deep inside. Felt trapped in the marriage and decided to redouble her efforts to stop his drinking. He did not know how not to drink.
In 1977 she was 12-steped by two Al-Anons and went to one meeting while he went to treatment. He drank the night he got back but the seed was planted. Tried psychiatry and a psych-ward. Played the martyr role to the hilt. Built walls up against her emotions. In 1984 he went to treatment, got out and they started going to open AA meeting together. Then Linda came into Al-Anon and felt alot of love and hope for the first time. (See Linda's 2001 talk at Marietta GA for more details.)
(54 min) (12.5 MB) (id#150)