I'm Hazel. I'll Share.

"I'm Hazel.  I'll share."  I have been in Al-Anon for almost 20 years.  All meetings have very similar format, structure and language so that when anyone goes to a meeting in any city, state or country, he feels right at home.  In some meetings, when it is time for sharing, people volunteer.  It's sometimes called popcorn sharing. "I'm Hazel, I'll share" comes from these types of meetings.  Other meetings go person to person around the room and I might say "I'm Hazel" and then begin my share.  The two meetings I attend here in the Denver area are quite large so we use 3 minute timers. This gives each attendee a chance to share.  It is a challenge but a good discipline, also.  Sometimes, people say "I'll pass. I'm going to listen and learn." When I was home for my 50th high school reunion June 13/14, 2025, our family also had a mini reunion.  I stayed at my Brother and Sis-in-law's and my Sister flew in from ATL...

From 12-2022: I am in my favorite room in our Centennial, CO house.  It is the smallest of the three bedrooms.  We use it on the rare occasion we have guests.  I have my teletherapy private practice niche in here.  It is my “prayer closet,” with a huge basket of files, journals, Bibles, daily devotionals, Al-Anon readers, notepads, pens.  It is where I am set up for Zoom meetings:  I just attended a 45 minute Mindfulness Meditation through Boston University with my MBSR guru, Elana Rosenbaum, DSW.   The two windows bring in the most beautiful morning light in the whole house, one faces east, the other south.  The largest window has a great shelf built into it.  Of course, it is full.   On this shelf are a few of my favorite things, just mine.  I have pared down my clinical social work counseling books to just a few. Next to those are my Al-Anon books. I have my movie star books – Audrey H...

  Why the blog name. I need to talk! I am a child of the 1960’s and, like many little girls, had a Chatty Cathy  so that is the nickname I gave myself. I need to talk!   Uh…well….no, I  need  to listen more. Isn’t that what I’ve been learning in Al-Anon? Two ears, one mouth.    Wait a minute. I hafta talk. It can overwhelm folks.  Maybe I’ll drive less people crazy by blogging.   When it comes to social media, I am a non-user (98.9% of the time). I am on Next Door because no one knows me. I can find out what I want to know: “I am new to town. Where do you get your haircut?” Or, I can put the word out: “We just moved here. Boxes and paper available!”   Through the years, a few people have said “I searched for you on-line and couldn’t find you.” Oh, goooood. That’s the way I’ve wanted it.   BL:  Does God want me to do something that goes completely against the grain (being on the WWW)?  Oh ...