Just a Thank You to the SO's out there

I can't possibly thank you all enough for sharing your difficult stories and being open to PA's reading them. I know that while we (PA's) live every day in the agony of such a slow, restorative process, we have also done great damage to you as well. In both directions, not only are we presented with great suffering of our partner, but of ourselves as well. As a PA-SO team, our entire worlds seem to have turned upside-down.

After losing my keys for 30 minutes at my yoga studio the other day, I took something away from the experience: I've learned to have compassion for myself when I fall short, but find it hard to have that compassion for myself when I inconvenience/hurt others. While the action of losing my keys is the same whether I do it at home or in the studio, my reaction is vastly different.

This probably seems like a random story to insert, but it is reflective of the strong voices of SO's and the sharing of their struggles. Those stories have given me insight to how my actions affect others in sometimes very detrimental ways. Sometimes as a PA (or even SO?), we get very caught up in our own ugly emotions regarding the addiction and we forget that the other person isn't walking through this all lightly either.

I've learned a lot from reading SO posts. More than I ever would have anticipated. I have better insight into your viewpoint and certainly more compassion and understanding. It's already making me a better man - though I have quite the ways to go yet. I cannot thank you enough for helping me repair myself and my relationship with my wife.

Namaste,
BreatheDeeply

 

Thanks @BreatheDeeply, for saying that. You put it better than I could.

"Seene mein tere aag, paani, aandhi hai
Mehnat ki Dori haunslon se baandhi hai
Aansu aur paseena are hain to dono paani
par moD ke rakh de dono hi toofaan

ChoT ho jitni gehri ya Thes jigar mein Thehri
to jazbaa utna zehri hai ye maan."
- Sukwinder Singh

(There is fire, water and storm in your chest.
The thread of hard work is tied to courage.
Tears and perspiration, both are only water,
but both can turn a storm away.

As deep as the blow, or a hurt there in the heart,
the desire to succeed becomes as strong.)

Thank you SO's, everywhere.