I have read and said millions of words over the decades. Yet these relatively few words got deep inside my soul at the times and ways that transformed my life.
I offer them in order of importance to me.
- 1
- Keep it simple
- First Things First
- Live and Let Live
- Let go and let God
- One day at a time
- 2
- Progress, not perfection
- HALT = don't get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired
- Principles before personalities
- 3
- This too will pass
- We are only as sick as our secrets
- Cultivate an attitude of gratitude
- I was sick and tired of being sick and tired
These comments came from a pastor that responded on a different platform.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking that most of these lines I first experienced in a recovery setting or with people who've been through recovery. Let go and let God. One day at a time. Progress not perfection. Attitude of gratitude. We are only as sick as our secrets. Sick and tired of being sick and tired.
You'll hear all of those in pretty much any recovery setting. My impression over the last decade or so is that some of the healthiest and wisest people I meet are people who've been in recovery. They have learned through the road of hard knocks, and the quiet and seemingly simple wisdom they live by is deeper and more profound than the ivory tower or the elitist upper middle class/wealthy class -- those who often think they are wise.
There is a humility among those recovery community that also reflects that deep wisdom.
The slogan I am sick and tired of being sick and tired landed on my heart at the right moment. Embracing that led me to start taking my recovery seriously.
ReplyDeleteThen along the way, the slogan I am as sick as my secrets led me to always find at least one person I could trust to tell my deepest secrets. Sometimes over the decades they were in recovery. Sometimes they were coworkers. Sometimes they were my pastor. God supplied those key people as I moved around.
The slogan HALT has been useful hundreds of times. When I feel wabbly I ask myself if I am hungry, angry, lonely. or tired. Then immediately I address those needs so that I do not go down the slippery slope.