Recovery Lane
Wisdom for Today
The real question we all must face is, "Can I learn from my experience and grow and help others?" Tough question! -- because in each of us is the tendency to live in extremes. On the one hand, there is the side of us that plays the role of the rebel. We grow tired of all the structure that recovery demand of us. We resist doing what we know we should. We refuse to follow the lead of our Higher Power. The role of the rebel does not lead to growth. On the other extreme there is the tendency to assume perfection. Perfection simply is not attainable and always leads us to a place where we feel defeated and worthless.
In order to grow in our experiences, we need to find something in the middle of these two extremes. What we find here is something called humility. Here we learn to accept who and what we are. Here is where we learn what we can become. Here is where we can share our experience to help others. It has only been in a place of humble acceptance that I have learned from my experiences. I have learned the delaying of growth that both perfectionism and rebellion cause. The course of relative humility is the only place I really learn anything. The progress is not always quick, but the lessons are essential for my recovery. Have I stopped trying to live in extremes?
Meditations for the Heart
One of the greatest joys I have experienced in recovery is to watch a room full of addicts and alcoholics suddenly burst into laughter. Usually it is because of a story being shared that we all can relate to. We see the humor in our stupidity. We learn to laugh at the insanity of the illness. It is as if everyone in the room suddenly has had a light of self acceptance turned on and we can all laugh about our crazy behavior at the same time. It is not so much the laughter that heals, but the genuine self acceptance we experience in this moment. When these moments happen I like to file them away, so that in times beating myself up or times when I get too self-reliant, I can think back to this genuine self acceptance. These moments act as a good mirror for me and allow me to look at myself in a true reflection of who I am. Have I found a genuine self acceptance?
Petitions to my Higher Power
God,
Teach me to walk a humble path this day, for it is on this path that I learn the lessons of recovery. Keep me open to Your vision for my life. Help me find a good mirror so that I can see myself in Your light . Grant me this day what I need for the journey.
Amen
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