Cleveland’s Oldest AA Meeting Turns 75
December 19, 2014
Weekend Phone Volunteers Needed
January 12, 2015
Every Christmas I hope for the best but expect the worst.
As bells ring out and carols echo everywhere, we should not be surprised if our spirits take a nosedive. It isn’t that we don’t understand the meaning of Christmas, or that we reject it, but rather that the idealized version of what Christmas should be has often times been denied us. We may come to resent the fact that all this good cheer seems to be for other people, not us.
Our experiences may have had little to do with family togetherness around a glowing fireplace, loving conversation, and delighted laughter. Such scenes feel like an affront if there has been no family closeness, perhaps no gifts, and little or no overt love. Of course it’s wrenching when our own experience clashes so painfully with advertised reality!
But every day is a chance for new experience. We can choose today to create the good cheer that wasn’t created for us. It’s too late to change yesterday’s disappointment, but, if we choose, we can make this holiday season the one we’ll remember.
I have made a conscious decision to leave past Christmases in the past. Today, I will begin to plan a celebration.
By Hazelden: Days of Healing, Days of Joy
Staff
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of the AA Cleveland District Office.
