You
are reading from the book Today's Gift.
I would be honest, for there are those who trust me. --Howard Arnold
Walter
Some of those around us seem to see only the good in us. They trust and
respect us, even when we ourselves may not feel we deserve it.
A young girl once talked about her grandfather. She said, "He was the
only person in my life who saw the good in me." She mentioned that she
sought to please her grandfather and not disappoint the trust which he
placed in her. He brought out the best in her because of the way that
he looked at her. Each of us can be like this grandfather by focusing
on the good in other people. We can use our spiritual eyes to see love,
honesty, trustworthiness, and unselfishness in the heart of another. As
we look for the good, we are doing our part to help create it.
Do I see the good in those around me right now?
You are reading from the book Touchstones.
In my friend, I find a second self. --Isabel Norton
Our mates and close friends present us with another view on what it is
to be a human being. In being close we lower our barriers and get a
feeling for what life is like from that person's perspective. We
develop a feeling of empathy for him or her, and we multiply our life
experiences by participating with others.
Through our closeness to someone, we might be confronted by a new
awareness of ourselves. We may see something about ourselves we don't
like and could never have seen on our own. We may see how similar we
are to our friends, or how different, or how common and human our
problems are. While each man lives his own life, through empathy we are
given another window on the experience of living. Having a friend is a
rich experience which increases our wisdom about life.
I am thankful for relationships. I feel grateful that I am not alone.
You are reading from the book Each Day a New Beginning.
Every human being has, like Socrates, an attendant spirit; and wise are
they who obey its signals. If it does not always tell us what to do, it
always cautions us what not to do. --Lydia M. Child
Our Spirit is our inner guide. And our Spirit never, never, gives us
wrong directions. Because we're human, it's all too easy to deny the
voice from within. Some call it conscience. And our behavior, maybe
frequently, maybe occasionally, belies what our conscience knows is
right. We suffer for it.
We are trying to be healthy, emotionally, spiritually, physically. Each
day we can make progress. With each action we take, we have a choice.
Our Spirit, our conscience, should be consulted. Right choices make for
right actions that will emotionally and spiritually benefit us and the
other persons close to us.
It's comforting to rely on the inner voice. It assures us we're never
alone. No decision has to be made alone. No wrong action need ever be
taken. A sense of security accompanies the partnership between each of
us and our Spirit.
I will let the partnership work for me today.
You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go.
Intimacy
We can let ourselves be close to people.
Many of us have deeply ingrained patterns for sabotaging relationships.
Some of us may instinctively terminate a relationship once it moves to
a certain level of closeness and intimacy.
When we start to feel close to someone, we may zero in on one of the
persons character defects, and then make it so big its all we can see.
We may withdraw, or push the person away to create distance. We may
start criticizing the other person, a behavior sure to create distance.
We may start trying to control the person, a behavior that prevents
intimacy.
We may tell ourselves we don't want or need another person, or smother
the person with our needs.
Sometimes, we defeat ourselves by trying to be close to people who
aren't available for intimacy - people with active addictions, or
people who don't choose to be close to us. Sometimes, we choose people
with particular faults so that when it comes time to be close, we have
an escape hatch.
Were afraid, and we fear losing ourselves. Were afraid that closeness
means we wont be able to own our power to take care of ourselves.
In recovery, were learning that its okay to let ourselves be close to
people. Were choosing to relate to safe, healthy people, so closeness
is a possibility. Closeness doesn't mean we have to lose ourselves, or
our life. As one man said, were learning that we can own our power with
people, even when were close, even when the other person has something
we need.
Today, I will be available for closeness and intimacy with people, when
that's appropriate. Whenever possible, I will let myself be who I am,
let others be who they are, and enjoy the bond and good feelings
between us.
When I place myself in the hands and heart of my Higher Power today, I
know that I will get my needs met. Only then do I trust that I will
come from good and love, keeping the good of others in my mind and my
heart. --Ruth Fishel