Post
90
2016
… the year the Christmas tree fell – twice:
WHY??
Just a few days before Christmas Eve .. mad dashes
throughout the week to be ready for Christmas!
Out-of-State family had already arrived and exciting catching-up-fun
with local family was in full swing.
Advent calendar openings, last minute shopping and gift wrapping, cookie
making, family dinners ... and setting this scene was a beautiful tall tree (the
tallest one ever!) with all of those
traditional ornaments, lovingly hung and accompanied with special
memories. You really did craft all of those wooden ornaments while I was a
baby? That’s the only art piece I ever
had showcased! Look at that mischievous
smile … you must have been in fifth grade.
Of course, the day had been busy, busy; and our evening was blissfully
winding down. Little One sleeping
soundly and quiet time for the adults with tree lights glowing and soft carols
playing … then I saw it
coming. Slowly but steadily, CRASH! The tree upended itself, partly on the floor
and partly on the nearby chair with our daughter in it! I saw it coming but wasn’t in the right place
to stop its graceful plunge. Disbelief, at
first. Quickly, though, we moved to unplug the tree
lights and rescue gifts from the spilled tree water. Gladly, Little One didn’t wake up (a
Christmas miracle?) and once we caught our collective breath, we worked
together to right the tree and securely
affix it to the base. Mess cleaned up,
Daughter and I re-decorated the tree – even more beautifully than before. Next morning, Little One awoke and played
with her doll by the tree … we were so glad that we had worked well into the
night restoring the tree to its earlier magnificence. She had been spared the
horrifying sight of a fallen tree with tangled lights and broken ornaments. WHY? though,
was the big question on our minds. Had
we not secured the tree adequately? This
had never happened before but could
this happen again?
The days continued – more preparations and growing
excitement! Finally, Christmas Eve
arrived .. . picture perfect … well, not
quite: there were more mad dashes
throughout the day to complete all projects. Work done! Made it to church on time (sorta);
candlelight dinner at home with the entire family; a mug of milk and fancy
dessert set out for Santa; Little One sleeping soundly; quiet time for the
adults with presents wrapped and tree lights glowing (sound familiar?) Tired and satisfied with all of the work
finished, we went to bed. Then, in the middle of the night, I
woke up: CRASH-THUD. What was that? Little One cried out and Mama’s comforting
words quickly came. We descended the
stairs and disbelief once again! The tree laid flat on the floor. HOW
could this be? WHY, after all of our careful work to replace the tree trunk
into the base, did it fall? We
gathered up the fallen ornaments and lights, cleaned up the mess, and took the
tree outside. Mama had told Little One
that the tree had fallen again; and thankfully, Little One went back to sleep,
instantly – missing, once more, a dismally, traumatic sight (another Christmas
miracle?).
Why these stories on the GRM Blog? Twice now, you’ve read the question WHY? Likewise, when individuals fall into addictive patterns, the question WHY? is asked … often. And WHY?
appears plenty of times when relapse
occurs.
Then too, there are many answers – the complexity of addiction compels us to
think deeply. Yet the Gamblers Anonymous “Yellow” Combo Book offers
a very basic answer:
“Is
knowing why we gambled important?”
“Perhaps,
however insofar as stopping gambling, many Gamblers Anonymous members have
abstained from gambling without the benefit of the knowledge of why they
gambled.” (Gambler Anonymous, www.gamblersanonymous.org )
At the beginning of this new year, a number of
resolutions or goals are being pondered. We may look at the past twelve (or
more!) months and wonder, Why? We may be trying to sort out what may have
gone wrong, why did things happen as they did, …what factors played a role in
how things turned out. Perhaps, there
will be no definitive answers. Possibly,
the Why? question doesn’t even need to be replayed (especially over and
over). It’s the moving-on that matters
now.
As I type this New Year’s Greeting to you, I,
prayerfully, hope that for each of you there will come reflection, response, and
meaningful experience in restoration and recovery, along with miracles!
Blessings,
Rev. Janet Jacobs, CCGSOFounding Director
Gambling Recovery Ministries
www.grmumc.org
ALSO!
The
Annual Lexington Area Gamblers Anonymous Mini-Conference will take place at the
Clarion Hotel February 10-12. For
registration, e-mail twsatterly@aol.com .
Note: the KYCPG Conference (above)
includes the kickoff reception for the GA Mini-Conference at 5:30 Friday
evening, February 10, 2017.
For more information on problem gambling and
recovery, go towww.indianaproblemgambling.org
www.mdproblemgambling.com
www.gam-anon.org
