On Being a Grateful Codependent

On the Road with Grace

Yesterday I had no book events. That was intentional on the part of the planners of this grand tour. They wanted to give me a day off in the middle of all that I have been doing. So here in Philadelphia in a lovely hotel in the historic district, I was able to have some precious unscheduled time for me.

Challenged yet again by my border collie eagerness to work and get-things-done, I found a balance in doing that and in wandering around without a watch on and no plan in mind.

When I give my self such physical and temporal space, I can feel my self starting to have more space within me as well. In that fresh internal space I become creative and inspired. I also become grateful.

This particular time I connected with my gratitude for all the people who have made this trip possible. There are many people on that list. To start with, I am grateful for all of the staff at Central Recovery Press who designed this tour and who so support my work. I am grateful for each of the bookstores on this tour who have opened their doors to me and for all of the customers who have spent time at my book table talking and learning.

I am also very grateful for my family members who are helping to make this trip possible. Some of you may have already wondered, “Well who’s taking care of Daisy?” That’s an extremely important question. She is at home with my husband, Monty, and all of the other animals at the Johnston home. Thank you Monty. He reports that Daisy is doing fine with her eating and walking on her arthritic legs. I could really allow my self to get into worrying about her with me away like this, but then I remember to “Let Go and Let God.”

And then there is the amazing act of Letting Go and Letting God and finding that my daughter, Grace, is able to travel this trip with me. A 24-year-old adult now, I did not expect her back from her adventures and work in England and Europe until this coming December. But life had it that she needed to come back to the States early. Seeing this as the spiritual flow of life, I share this view with her as she deals with her disappointments in coming back early, and I celebrate this view as it offers me her excellent company and many of her talents.

As my co-pilot and as my driver, Grace is making our travels so much easier. Four eyes and four hands are way better up here in the busy northeast. And just to let you know, Grace is the woman behind the camera taking all of these photos of the book events you are getting to see athttp://www.facebook.com/MyLifeAsABorderCollie. She has 6 years of experience as an events photographer, and I am so lucky to have her skills capturing the moments of this trip to share with each of you. Thank you Grace.

When I am not in my recovery, it is too easy for me as an over-functioning codependent to think, “I am doing it all. If I don’t do it, no one will.” Well that’s the thinking that keeps me stuck. Stopping and creating internal space for my self gives me the opportunity to look around and see what both humans and my higher power are doing and offering and to feel very grateful for it all.

Thanks.