For Today: November 18th

If you want to understand others, look into your own heart.

Johann Schiller

If I have no understanding of what makes me think and act as I do, then I can have little understanding of other people’s behavior.  If I do not admit anger, fear, hate and other emotions and steadfastly ignore the reasons for these feelings, how can I maintain balanced relationships with spouse, friend, parent or child---all of whom have similar feelings?

People who practice the twelve step program seldom say, “I’ll never understand So-and-So.”  Having looked into their own hearts, they understand why other people behave as they do.

For Today:  If people’s actions continue to surprise me, it’s time to do another fourth-step inventory.

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After being in this program for a long time, nothing much surprises me.  When someone says Can You BELIEVE That????, I say Yes, I can.  I can believe almost anything these days.

I can go for long periods of time where I'm abstinent and at peace.  And then, out of the blue, a HUGE desire to eat junk food can overtake me entirely.  Can I BELIEVE it? You bet your sweet bippy I CAN.

I can go for long periods of time where I am happy & content, at peace with the world, with a smile on my face and a skip in my step.  And then, out of the blue, I am hit with incredible ANGER and RAGE that can overtake me entirely.  Can I BELIEVE it?  Yessir, I surely CAN.

I am a work in progress. I am never 'finished' with recovery; I am never 'finished' working the steps or living in the moment......for 24 hours at a time. 

When the negative feelings overtake me, I know they are temporary and that This Too Shall Pass.

When the anger & rage threaten to overwhelm me, it's time to look within mySELF and see what's REALLY going on.  

For today, I will be totally honest with myself & I will choose to stay in recovery.