July 12

PATIENCE MONTH: DAY 12: “Have patience with all things but first with yourself. Never confuse your mistakes with your value as a human being. You are perfectly valuable, creative, worthwhile person simply because you exist. And no amount of triumphs or tribulations can ever change that.” ― Saint Frances de Sales

Most of us have trouble with our humanity. Ego tells us we have to be the MOST special, all the time, to everyone! Yikes! We must be just ourselves, special to some and just another man or woman to most folks.

We all have gifts to give to the world, or we would not be here. Addiction gets in the way of that ever happening. Since our culture and social environment is so spiritually toxic, we are blessed to be given the opportunity to practice spiritual principles. This is grace. We did not become special because we are in recovery. We are in recovery because that is the path the Universe has given us.

Our will is linked to ego. If we believe we are vastly more important and special than others, we are going to be doing damage to both them and ourselves. Whether or not we drink or use drugs in the process is really a moot point.

It is our arrogance and ego that refuse to allow us to make mistakes. We believe, somehow, that we must be better at everything to just get along. Still ego. Whether we think less of ourselves in comparison to others, or more is the problem. Same problem, all ego.

It is not humble or patient to believe we are not of value in the world. It is not humble or patient to talk badly of ourselves, put ourselves down, or beat ourselves up. It is, after all, still obsession with self that is at play.

So, we must accept that we are just people, human; and that we are here to learn, not to teach. We are here to walk our road of happy destiny; which means whatever road we are on is going to our happy destiny. OH!

We are not here to be the featured star in a parade or make headlines; that is all ego feeding. If we addicts could take it, more of us would be in the spotlight. That is the stuff of our wildest daydreams and egoic imaginings, not the journey Spirit brought us here to have.

This works with acceptance, humility, patience with our learning process. Life is SLOW…learning is REALLY SLOW. There is no race, just the road of happy destiny. Okay…let’s all trudge that road together. We trudge, because that is the SLOW process we are here to do, not because it is painful or difficult. It isn’t. But, it IS SLOW and steady and we stop along the way, every few steps to help others who may have fallen behind; whose lives we are here to assist in accepting the gifts this life brings. That is our sole purpose…to keep trudging and to help others on their way. It is a wonderful thing!