I just wanted to share a pretty exciting update, which is that I spent this past weekend in New Orleans with my mom on a four-day tour of haunted places. But more on that later :) The weekend was great because of two reasons:
1) I told my mom at the start of the trip that I am done drinking - and why. It was a really hard conversation to have and I have been dreading it for a long time, but I was honest and it opened up a lot of space for us to talk about my alcohol abuse. We talked about my making stupid decisions while drinking, all of the emotional turmoil wrapped up in my father's alcoholism, and the hell that alcohol ultimately brought to my life in the past ten years. The fundamental takeaway for both of us was that alcohol has never done anything to improve my life; it has only caused pain and suffering. That being said, my choosing to stop is the best thing I can do for myself. My mom seemed profoundly relieved and didn't make the situation at all awkward.
It was an interesting experience in large part because my mom and I used to be SO CLOSE before I started drinking. As soon as I began blacking out on a consistent basis, my mom and I drifted far apart. I think this was partially because it hurt her knowing I was drinking so much, and also because I became so selfish and elusive. Being drunk around my mom made me feel shameful, so I started avoiding her and any real conversations that could possibly lead to my drinking. After just four sober days of being honest, I walked away from the experience feeling like we had regained and lot of what was lost.
2) The second reason the weekend was great is that we stayed at a haunted mansion. I'll attach pictures below. It was the Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville. My mom and I have always both had an appreciation for all things spooky, so it was a fantastic way for us to bond. The trip was a 30th birthday gift. As much as I love the supernatural, I'm actually very skeptical when it comes to real experiences. While there, though, we had a couple of interesting moments, including flickering lights and strange smells. One of my pictures even had a big flash going across the screen. I don't know if any of it was actually ghost-related or just our imaginations, but the night was a lot of fun - as was the rest of the trip, which was spent mostly in the French Quarter. Bourbon Street was a hellhole, but the rest of it was lovely.
Anyway, I just wanted to check in and share the good news. I hope all of you are doing very well.
Best,
Adam
__________________
When every situation which life can offer is turned to the profit of spiritual growth, no situation can really be a bad one.-Paul Brunton
Oh Adam I love anything spooky. We have a lot of activity in our house even though we built it from scratch. I actually do readings/healings for people and clear houses of activity. There's a whole other world out there that we've just learning about.
Sounds like great progress, AM, in repairing and renewing your relationship with your mom. Good work.
Your post reminds of the interest that Bill and Lois Wilson had in spiritualism. The held seances at their home in New York in the 1940s. They called them "spook sessions." Dr. Bob and Anne Smith joined the Wilsons for these sessions when visiting. Bill was convinced that he made contact several times with "the other side."
I think there's an invisible principle of living...if we believe we're guided through every step of our lives, we are. Its a lovely sight, watching it work.
Wow that looks like fun. So fantastic to have a relationship w/your mom and that it can get better & better. One of the best gifts in sobriety is the healing of those old rifts and feelings.
