LOVE MONTH: DAY 16: “It is the same with love. It can turn your whole world upside down, like the axis of the earth. It’s that powerful, that bold. People kill themselves for love. But when you have it for somebody or something, an idea maybe, it can beat anger and time and move the sea and the mountains. That’s the way it feels. I guess that’s what I’m trying to say.” ~ Jimi Hendrix
Such a great sentiment. And I really love that Jimi expressed that love can be about something or an idea. I have so many ideas in my brain that some days I think I am going to explode! And I do recall that I used to be the one who would be hanging with my peeps and say, “Hey! I have an idea!” and they would groan or leave.
So not all of them are brilliant. But I love how creative my mind is most of the time. If I am not cooking up trouble, it is great! Creative minds fascinate me.
I love the line…”it can beat anger and time and move the sea and the mountains.” What a great line! And it can!
The tremendous love we feel when we come into the rooms where recovery happens is REAL! It is not the kind of love we are used to. It is unconditional and we are learning, all the time, through the application of spiritual principles in our lives, how to receive and give unconditionally. Not all of us are great at this at first. Some never quite get there. We place restrictions and conditions on those who we love.
That is the natural process, to me, of going from where we once were to where we are working to go. It is interesting some of the things we will tell newcomers about recovery. Listening is sometimes a challenge for those with an agenda in meetings.
Sponsors sometimes strive to look good by having their sponsees look good. It is embarrassing when a sponsee is less than spiritually fit and the sponsor wants to take credit for the recovery of that person. Hahaha…they do it on purpose for us to find the loophole in our own way of loving.
And the learning and teaching goes on. But, I can honestly say, that in my own case, the sea has been moved, along with a few mountains. And the changes that have been wrought, I would love to take credit for, because 100s of hours of work have been involved. But, the gift, once again, is the love you have all shown for me in these years.
I have been so incredibly broken and shattered by life, both before and after coming here. I have many forms of dysfunctional thinking and behaving that are partially healed today. I know not how to love with no strings, but have learned, a bit at a time to do what you have taught me. It is miraculous! And I see where the world has truly been turned upside-down by this shift.
And the best part of all is that; no matter how smart I think I am (and I know I am often way too smart for my own good!), I did not know how to do any of this until I destroyed everything behind drugs and alcohol. It teaches me the best lesson I know today. Sometimes the giant wrecking ball is going to swing back and bring me the best stuff ever! I REALLY LOVE THAT!!!
Dolphin Hug 