LFC= Love, Forgive , and Create. A reflection on the gift of living at my fullest capacity.

    Tree in Australian Section  For myself, Love can express it's self with a tiny escape in the city of Los Angeles at the L.A. Arboretum, a large public garden / park area of 127 acres in the San Gabriel Valley.  Tiny Waterfall in Tropical Garden / La Arboretum Here I can immerse myself in my love of nature, while exploring the Los Angeles County history at the same time. This beautiful place has 11 different gardens, and numerous tree and plant collections. My desire for “self-care” and a glimpse of beauty has brought me here on a Fall day in 2022. The Los Angeles Arboretum was created in 1947 with California & Los Angeles jointly purchasing 11 acres to create an Arboretum around the land that belonged to “Lucky Baldwin”.  My time spent in nature is soothing and provides space in my mind in order to think clearly about my life. A long 2 mile walk, and glimpse of the various trees, flowers, and wildlife brings forth calmness and helps me remain cent...

One of the first pieces of literature I took from a meeting was the blue & white Alanon book-mark, “Just for Today”. Packed with good suggestions, in an easy to read format, this bookmark has helped me through many tough days, and the St Francis prayer at the bottom became one of my favorites.  Despite this tiny powerful bookmark, there were times in my life that felt so dark, I had a hard time picking it up. “ Not for Today” , I would think to myself, at times I momentarily forgot my program and all the tools that recovery offers.  As I continue to grow in my Alanon program, I have slips and days of falling off my “wagon of recovery”. Sometimes, when negative feelings surface so strongly, I resort to isolation and despair. These are coping mechanisms I learned long before coming into program. I momentarily forget about the Spiritual power of the Fellowship. The Do’s & Don’ts tell us “Not to wallow in Self-Pity”, yet sometimes I find that If I engage in a “Pity ...