March 17

 

 

FAITH MONTH: DAY 17:

“I know a place where the sun is like gold,

And the cherry blooms burst with snow,

And down underneath in the lovliest nook,

Where the four-leaved clovers grow.

One leaf is for hope, and one is for faith,

And one for love, you know,

And God put another one in for luck,

If you search you will find where they grow.

But you must have hope, and you must have faith,

You must love and be strong – and so,

If you work, if you wait, you will find the place,

Where the four-leaved clovers grow.” –Anonymous

 

My people are poets and romantics. They are also known for being drunks. This much I know. We celebrate the greatest Saint in our culture by drinking. And all of life is celebrated by drinking.

And then we fight and sing. I am celebrating a holiday of my heritage by remembering where I was and how I felt 31 years ago, today. It is NOT possible for me to do this, and yet I am.

What a tremendous gift this is. That on the very worst day of this or any other life, I was given a tremendous opportunity to live this life. So different and so very full of faith. And I celebrate it in such a different way today. I don’t drink, I don’t fight, and by popular request, I only sing once in a while.

But my soul sings quite loudly, my heart is full and poetic and romantic about the life I am given here. I may be full of Blarney, but I am okay with that and very, very happy.

Some of the most beautiful things I have ever read are written by the Irish. Their faith is legendary, although I no longer practice the way I was taught. They are fierce in their devotion to the things they hold dear, and I can certainly relate to that.

The step I write about in March is Step 3. When I began these writings, I wanted to shift to another step. I had the hardest time with Step 3. Still do, I think this is the common denominator with us all. I see it in the people I sponsor. They are so confused about really letting go of the control and manipulation they want to perpetuate into their lives in recovery. We all do.

Today I honor my heritage and the great, miraculous coincidence that brought me to a treatment center on March 17, 1986. There is no way I could have written this script. It is one of miraculous and consistently Divine intervention and appointment with life that I could not have ever dreamed possible. I am richly blessed and faithful to the Universal Power that led to this occasion.

We are all troubled by ongoing issues with Step 3, making the continuous decision to let go and turn our wills and lives over to the care of something other than our egos. The process never ends, it never ceases, it is an ongoing, forever kind of thing. Moment by moment, we lean into dependence on something that is far greater than our dependence on substances, money, work, sex, gambling, other people, houses, cars, boats, etc.

When we really see the beauty of what is created without us and contrast it to what is created by us, there is no doubt we are products of grace and a love so deep we can all develop a dependence on THAT. Síocháin…(peace)!