Recovery Meditations: June 6th

HUMAN EMOTION

"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet.
Only through experiences of trial and suffering
can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared,
ambition inspired and success achieved."
Helen Keller


While traveling through life, I have made choices that have injured myself and others. Others have made choices that have hurt me. Remembering and writing about my past has proved to bring up a plethora of negative emotions. At this moment I feel pain, remorse, anger, frustration, and am overwhelmed.

Every human on earth experiences these same feelings at one time or another. This is part of what I am here for. How could I ever comprehend bliss without experiencing misery? How could I enjoy inspiration without suffering depression? How could I appreciate peace without encountering turmoil? I am grateful for the problems life gives me -- partnered with the emotions they bring -- because without the bad I could not understand the good. Everything has its opposite. Things will always change. Things will always get better, just like the sun shines after each storm. The good news is that even though I may be experiencing negative feelings, I am learning empathy and I am gaining wisdom. And how much more will I value the rays of sunshine that break through the gray clouds?

One day at a time...
I will allow myself the honor of feeling human emotion. I will ask my Higher Power to give me comfort in my hardships and to help me remember why I am here. I will ask my Higher Power to open my heart to the lessons I am learning. For today, with hope and faith, I will look for the sunbeams shining through the haze.

~ Susanne

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I've always been frightened of allowing my emotions to come forth. Maybe they would kill me? Maybe they'd be SO fierce, that I'd freak out? Maybe maybe maybe.

When I stuff my emotions with excess food, where do they go? They pile up inside of me and thwart my growth.  After being bottled up long enough, they tend to break out in the form of rage.  All of my emotions need to be expressed, without fear, so I can live with sunbeams shining through the haze; without the burden of compulsive overeating weighing me down physically and spiritually.

Today, I am not afraid to express myself or my emotions. How could I appreciate peace without encountering turmoil? When I am grateful FOR life's problems, I wind up learning an awful lot.  Wisdom is not cheap; sometimes it comes with a hefty price tag.

But then again, what doesn't?  Nothing worth having comes easy, especially in the weight management department!

For today, I will learn empathy by allowing myself the honor of feeling human emotion.  I will take the good with the bad & for today, I will LIVE, as God intended me to.