June 3

HUMILITY MONTH: DAY 3: “Because in the school of the Spirit man learns wisdom through humility, knowledge by forgetting, how to speak by silence, how to live by dying.” — Johannes Tauler

If I am too full, I cannot be filled with anything. I have to let go of what I know every day, all day long, to learn anything new. The biggest part of communication is to listen. Only when I am aware of what you are saying to me can I have the information necessary to communicate well in return. Mindfully listening in conversation is a challenging thing for most addicts in recovery to learn. I can only be teachable to the extent that I am willing to listen and learn. Thus, I have to daily empty the pot of knowledge that I carry with me. When it is too full, I cannot gain any more knowledge. Wisdom comes to me from this emptying of knowledge. Information becomes knowledge when I sift it and make room for it to be stored in my brain. Knowledge becomes wisdom when I learn how to use and apply that knowledge to my life. It is true, at least for me, that I cannot learn to live fully until I have embraced the concept fully of my own death. When I have done this and see that it is not only possible in any moment, it is inevitable in every moment; I can begin to be fully alive in this day and all that it brings to my living. It is sad to see how many of us are marking time and do not fully live even one moment, because mindfulness is not a part of the day or hour or moment. We go from one thing to another without thinking of how precious each moment is and how amazing it will someday seem to us that we had such a moment. This kind of living creates a humility that never leaves us. Being in awe of what is created and what we get to have access to each and every day, all day long! We are all closer to our dying time today than we were yesterday, some of us will continue to live after today and some of us will not. I began a practice in 1988 of greeting each morning with the saying “It’s a good day to die.” This is a good day to die. In embracing that reality, it is a good day to live as well. If this be the last day I am here, let it always be said that I embraced it fully and lived every drop out of it…wringing with both hands, all the juice I could get out of this day! Something miraculous is going to happen for each of us this day…it may be our death, but it will certainly be miraculous. I pray every day that I may be aware of the miraculous and celebrate every single moment of breath that I am given today…no matter what I may think of it or how I may feel during its passing. I long to be present for everything and grateful and aware and thanking the Universe for giving me this one, right here, right now! Let’s go out there and live like crazy!