The other day I was standing in line at the drugstore waiting to get a prescription. The man in front of me started to talk to me out of the blue, and I noticed that he was very intoxicated. He was just striking up a normal "how's the weather?" Type of chat, and I pretended to not know that he was "drunk" and just allowed him to speak.I felt my heart fill to bursting with compassion for him in that moment, rather than other more negative reactions I might've had in the past, and when it was his time to get his order, he nodded and smiled at me, with gratitude in his eyes. I could "feel" that he felt "my" lack of reaction to his inebriation and was grateful for it, and I wished him a good day as he left.
I'm so happy to be able to be that way with some one who was so obviously struggling, because my beautiful late Mom was an alcoholic, and for most of my life, being around people who are drunk always made me uncomfortable. I realized as the man and I were talking, that because of God, Al-Anon, and my precious Mom, I was able to detach from the man's state of being drunk, to see him as a fellow human being.
I'm just so grateful for that today and am so glad that as my own heart heals from my childhood "stuff", I can give kindness and time to others who I might have avoided in the past. I love you, wherever you are, dear one, and I hope that your pain is healed someday. : )
1255 Reads
- Posted by autumnsky38
- Jun 29, 2016
- Comments (8)
Readers Comments
Horse-friend wrote: Thanks for sharing your experience. I have experienced a deep shift in my contact with intoxicated people, also supported by people with similar experience and commited to transform. :-))) it is possible!
loveandserve wrote: Beautiful and heartfelt! 💜
scushman wrote: That is truly a blessing for the both of you. How wonderful that exchange was1
bountiful wrote: takes special strength to listen in silence, and gift to smile as well ..lovely share thankyou ::)))
leoladyc728 wrote: I am so happy that you were able to heal from your childhood stuff.
melnotes wrote: Thankyou for your honest and heartfelt share xx
splain wrote: If you only knew how this post affected me , thank you for helping.
suse15 wrote: A blessed exchange where you saw beneath the mask. That is special - what you took the time to do.
