You
are reading from the book Today's Gift.
To apologize: to lay the foundation for a future offense. --Ambrose
Bierce
"I'm sorry," said the blind man as he whipped the mare. "I'm sorry,"
said the mare, as she kicked the blind man in return.
"We're sorry," they assured themselves, as they pushed each other
around again and again. Often, we push our troubles with other people
around, creeping along in the old rough way, refusing to change because
we're too involved to see another choice.
There's little sorrow in being sorry all the time. A true apology
doesn't try to explain. Sometimes a true apology just breaks down and
cries. Then maybe we're ready to go on--take someone by the hand, tell
the whole sad truth, and work to find a better way.
Are my apologies excuses, or requests to be forgiven?
You are reading from the book Touchstones.
"You are accepted!" ... accepted by that which is greater than you and
the name of which you do not know. Do not ask the name now, perhaps you
will know it later. Do not try to do anything, perhaps later you will
do much. Do not seek for anything, do not perform anything, do not
intend anything. Simply accept the fact you are accepted. --Paul
Tillich
New possibilities opened up when we accepted our powerlessness. These
possibilities came to us from beyond ourselves. We can open ourselves
to acceptance by being responsible for ourselves and practicing the
Twelve Steps. We can't improve upon the message that we are accepted,
nor can we nail it down. In fact, the very moment we try to impose our
control over it, it begins to evaporate.
We can receive this message of acceptance only when we are humble and
open to it. After learning to surrender in the First Step of this
program, we are ready to yield to messages of acceptance.
I am grateful for the acceptance which has come my way.
You are reading from the book Each Day a New Beginning.
To wait for someone else, or to expect someone else to make my life
richer, or fuller, or more satisfying, puts me in a constant state of
suspension; and I miss all those moments that pass. They never come
back to be experienced again. --Kathleen Tierney Crilly
The steps we are taking today will never again be taken in exactly the
same way. The thoughts we are thinking are fresh, never to be repeated.
All that these moments offer will never pass our way again.
We each have to grab our own happiness, create our own richness through
experiences. We may share what we capture with loved ones, but like us,
they too must search their own avenues for the satisfaction that lasts.
We can neither give happiness to another, like a gift, nor expect it in
return.
The fullness of life we all long for is the natural byproduct of living
every moment as fully as possible. Our higher power will never direct
us into waters too deep. When we have willingly turned our lives and
our wills over, we'll find an abundance of the rich, the full, the
satisfying. Faith in God answers all questions, solves all problems.
I will cherish every moment today. Each one is special and will not
visit me again.
You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go.
Enjoying the Good Days
Good feelings can become a habitual part of our life.
There is absolutely no virtue in the unnecessary suffering, which many
of us have felt for much of our life. We don't have to allow others to
make us miserable, and we don't have to make ourselves miserable.
A good day does not have to be the calm before the storm. That's an old
way of thinking we learned in dysfunctional systems.
In recovery, a good day or a good feeling doesn't mean were in denial.
We don't have to wreck our good times by obsessively searching for or
creating a problem.
Enjoying our good days doesn't mean we're being disloyal to loved ones
who are having problems. We don't have to make ourselves feel guilty
because other people aren't having a good day. We don't have to make
ourselves miserable to be like them. They can have their day and their
feelings; we can have ours.
A good feeling is to be enjoyed. More than we can imagine, good days
are ours for the asking.
Today, I will let myself enjoy what is good. I don't have to wreck my
good day or good feeling; I don't have to let others spoil it either.
Today I am letting a power greater than myself remove all my fear. I am
now free to look within for my answers. --Ruth Fishel