Recovery Meditations: February 9th

~ BLESSINGS ~

There are no mistakes, no coincidences.
All events are blessings given to us to learn from.

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross


I certainly never had a charmed life as a child, and when I was told to count my blessings, I never thought that I had that much to shout about. I was a shy and lonely child, always self-conscious about my shape and size, and everyone else seemed to be far better off than I was. When life started to deal out blows that were far more than I thought I could handle, I wondered why bad things always seemed to happen to me. I would hardly recover from one traumatic event when another one was upon me. I felt life was definitely unfair. Using food seemed to be the only way that I knew to cope.

I was looking for a solution, for some way to make my life a happier one. Fortunately, I was finally brought to my knees by the pain of my compulsive overeating. In working the Steps of this wonderful program, I have come to some amazing realizations. All the time I had railed against my misfortunes, I was being brought to some new understanding.

With the growing openness I now have, I can more clearly see why certain things in my life had to happen, and even why I became a compulsive overeater. Unlike the past, when I used to hate this disease, I now see it as a blessing, from which I can learn and grow. If it were not for this disease, I would not have needed to look at my life, nor would I have had to work at trying to make myself into a better person. I most certainly would not have needed to find a God of my understanding, nor would I have met so many wonderful new friends, who always love and support me.

One Day at a Time . . .
I will remember that the events in my life are not dealt out to me as a form of punishment, but rather as motivating factors in my life, that spur me on to grow and change as a person.
~ Sharon S. ~

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I typed this up yesterday and think it's PERFECT to add to this reading:



“Everything that is beautiful is cracked; that’s how the light gets in.”

~Leonard Cohen, singer, songwriter & poet

I believe these words capture the essence of how living thru past hurts, disappointments, broken hearts, anger, and fear can heal us. We all must go through the terrible experiences to perhaps become a little bit more humble, compassionate, understanding, patient, truthful, and, in effect, genuinely human. Each of us is an amalgam of feelings, thoughts, emotions, beliefs, histories, experiences, and so forth. These are the things that define us. When we begin to accept ourselves with all the flaws that are an integral part of our design, we will discover how truly beautiful we are. Our self-acceptance will be radiated as an inner goodness that is evident to all who come into our space.



When we become self-actualized, we come into our power, because we have transcended our imperfections & focused on our strengths. We no longer need to be enslaved by our guilt, by “what if” and “what might have been.” Instead, we take what we need from any experience & grow. We move on to a new day filled with new knowledge. That is what Cohen meant by “that’s how the light gets in.” We become enlightened. So, please go right ahead & shine your light so that others can see, feel, and learn from you. What better teacher than you, a person who has lived through a painful experience, to show an easier way to the next person.