*September 25th*

Someone once said, "The hardest thing for me to learn is to stop imagining that I can figure out why my spouse or children act the way they do. I catch myself automatically jumping to conclusions about their motives. I know in my heart that I can't read their minds, and that whatever I believe they are thinkingis all wrong. Even at their worst moments, the times when I'm exasperated to the point of fury, how can I know what each member of my family really wishes to do if they only knew how?"

Nobody but God understands what goes on inside another human being. Let's not try to "play God" to our troubled family when those in our family are hurt, confused and even angry. Let's not examine them as we would a bug under a microscope. I always want to remember that every human being must be respected for his or her own individuality, no matter how battered their sense of self might be at times.

Today's Reminder
I will, today and from now on, examine my own role in all my confusion and despair. If I do this honestly, I will come to realize that I am not blameless, that there is much to be changed in me.

"How can another think the way I think, or do just what I would do?
(I will remember, day by day, ‘My love, I am not you!')"

[Taken and fashioned from "One Day At A Time In Al-Anon"
for general family relationships by Jim Hogue, MA, MFTI]