Don't give up

I am constantly reminded that life is truly one day at a time.  Yesterday the vet called with good news. Timmi was doing much better.   His renal values went to normal, and he ate a good meal at the vet's.  Knowing that all this can change at any moment,  I opted to bring him home and continue to flush out his kidneys using subcutaneous fluids here.  So he is happy to be home and ate about a pound of deli ham last night (his choice of a homecoming meal).  We don't know whether the kidneys will continue to function, but we are willing to do what we can to help him.  He was wagging and playing with his hedgehog last night before bedtime. This morning,  he ate a pound of thin sliced turkey.  Looks as if we are cooking for three for a while.

I went to my home group last night.  The fellow who cried because he had difficulty reading has been coming regularly. He now reads and shares regularly, saying that he is grateful to have found a group that has accepted him.  He handed out a daily reader last night to each of us. In his shy way, he said that he ordered these as a gift to us.  It didn't matter that it was about Jesus.  Just the gesture was so touching to me.  He didn't give up and has found a place that feels like home to him. 

There were a couple of newcomers to this group.  One I had met on my trip a few weeks ago when I sailed south.  He is in the "other" fellowship.  This was his first Al-Anon meeting, and he was doing his best to be the center of attention. I kept thinking of the Big Book's familiar phrase about being an actor who wants to run the show.  It is interesting to see how egos present themselves when someone is taken out of their familiar environment.  He definitely has a lot of alcoholism in his family, so hopefully he will learn some of the gentle ways of Al-Anon if he continues to come to meetings.  Maybe he will find something that helps him to not only stay sober but live sober as well. 

The other newcomer was there because his brother received his fourth DUI and tried to run over someone while drunk.  He is now in jail facing all kinds of charges.  The newcomer is struggling with detaching with love and establishing boundaries.  He loves his brother but realizes that he can't help him.  Struggling with sadness and anger, the newcomer doesn't want to give up on himself.  He has reached out a hand, and a bunch of us took it.

I don't know what tomorrow will bring.   I am truly grateful for events unfolding today.  I'm not giving up on the old dog, on the newcomers at meetings, or on life.

When the world says, "Give up,"
Hope whispers, "Try it one more time."
~Author Unknown