hello out there, i'm new to this room, i have never posted here but have read a lot this a.m.. i am 2 1/2 years sober after being introduced to a.a. 27 years ago. i  was 23 then, i am now a happy 50...this is the first time i've incorporated prayer & meditation in to my daily routine & it's made all the difference in the world. i lost my dog, (my best friend), october of last year & did not drink, a real acid test for me as i always used losing someone as an excuse to drink. i use my sponsor & i have a sponsee that i am taking through the steps. i have a home group that i always go to early & set up or help set up & greet everyone, i have only missed 1 meeting there in the last 2 1/2 years! need i say things are very different now, i feel great but thought online communication couldn't hurt, & in fact might be a boon to my sobriety. i am looking forward to getting to know you all & sharing & listening to your experiences, strengths & hopes. i am dealing with a crisis that has put me in my mother's house every day for the past 2 weeks, even though we love each other dearly, & she is a good al-anon, it's difficult as breaking our old co-dependent ways was not easy, & falling back into them is. we are trying to clean out her garage, (she had a flood), & she does not want to throw anything away, but it is a mess. i have to practice letting go a lot. i have watched this crisis age her & it saddens me. she has asked me to care for her dog during this time as she gets too worn out to walk her after walking up & down stairs all day & although i enjoy her dog, i know this saddens her also. so i take her sadness in to my heart & find myself losing a bit of serenity every day. having her doggie reminds me my mother is aging, she is 84, & i hate being reminded of her mortality. so that is me at this time, living one day at a time & trying to focus on gratitude for the time we've had, & just walking through the solution rather than looking at all the negatives. not too easy for this woman. peace, kristina