May 7

INTEGRITY MONTH: DAY 7: “When will our consciences grow so tender that we will act to prevent human misery rather than avenge it?” ― Eleanor Roosevelt

We live in a culture of great fear. When I hear what politicians and public figures are talking about, all I can hear is their fear. Fear of what is happening (changing) in the world. Tremendous fear around anything that is new and different; which is everything in this Universe, all the time, every second, changing. How can anyone be so afraid of change, when it is the constant and only Law of this Universe? Because I have graduate degrees in Social Work, I am titled a Change Agent, which I love, because I embrace the flow of energy that is our giant Universe and all the change it embodies. Fear of change is a social illness, a disease of the mind that is trying to control and manipulate things to keep them stable, which is the most gigantic delusion ever. I really hope that, in some small way, I will become like Eleanor and Franklin and be able to help manifest some kind of tender mercy in this world as I walk through it. I have always had a gentle and kind heart, many of those in recovery do, as well. When we are afraid of, and protecting our kind and gentle hearts, rather than embracing and fulfilling them, we are fighting against the ONLY law of the Universe, which is change. This was made manifest in my life when I used liberal amounts of scotch, tequila and cocaine. So today I want to walk in a world that embraces gentleness, kindness and peace. I focus my attention on the miraculous and beautiful, because what I focus on grows. I know that when I say or do an unkind thing, I cannot live with my conscience until I clean that thing up. Then I must practice NOT doing those things ever again! It is I truly believe that when I learn to sit still with the way things ARE, rather than fighting for the way it used to be, I am embracing a kinder and gentler heart. My conscience is directly linked to my consciousness. I can no longer pretend to be anything other than the kind and gentle person I was created to be. I am grateful for this knowledge and the power to carry it out. The minute I step back into self-centered fear, which is the source of all my character defects (I love knowing that!), I become angry, bitter, and resentful and begin to hate others and believe they are the problem. I am so glad I get to have these amazing tools to use and to see how life is unfolding without having to harm others so I feel safe and okay. There is no one and nothing to fight against, only fear to overcome. It is the only thing that stands between me and billions of others who are just like me. One of the great blessings of the recovery thing is getting to see that alcohol and drugs, manifested by self-centered fear, are the equalizer that puts bums and millionaires, and an amazing array of everything in-between in the same rooms, doing the same things and feeling the same ways. This is wonderful for all of us to see!