June 15

HUMILITY MONTH: DAY 15: “It is a long journey, not just as a writer, but as a human being. Take nothing and no one for granted, be humble always, be kind especially when it’s difficult and never forget the place where you came from and the people that helped you get where you are. These things will live on in you and through you, long after the words have faded.” ― CK Webb

I read this quote nearly every year and feel that it pertains so particularly to me in some ways…I consider myself a writer, although most of my work is never going to be published. It is for myself that I do these. They help me.

The website I post them on each day helps me. I don’t know another way to process and learn these things, if I don’t write about them. This has always been my journey.

As a human being, I must say that I take no one and nothing for granted. I am happy about that, and that will belie the humility piece, because I cannot be happy about my gratitude and humble at the same time. The rest is the real purpose of my journey here.

I have been surrounded by seemingly unkind people who did things that were not always comfortable for me, nor welcome. They did them, nonetheless. They were great teachers. I do not forget them, nor do I feel ungrateful for them. They have their journey, and their teachings have been extremely valuable. I am also incredibly grateful to be sitting on this side of their teachings for me.

And these things DO live on in me and through me and I am, again, incredibly grateful for their messages and their meanings and their veracity in my life. I came from so much dysfunction and broken-ness and insecurity and fear and uncertainty.

Any ways in which I may have transcended these things, I completely attribute to the unbelievable strength forged from these events, created by these people. Survival is the most powerful instinct we possess, as humans. I am blessed to have survived things, in order to transcend them later on. The powers of healing and acceptance I have received are all gifts of the 12 steps and the dedicated practice I have been able to apply to them.

These things sing a song I hear all the time. They show me a road not many will walk. Not everyone needs to do what I do to recover from these underlying causes and conditions. Most will be satisfied with not drinking or drugging. I have never been satisfied with only that. Something inside of me wants to mend and heal and rise above that space into the place where I sit today. I am not done yet, nor will I stop here.

Life will show me its purpose for me. I accept that purpose, without really knowing what that means. So far, it has been interesting, to say the least. I got out of bed this morning, knowing that there are so many things I have yet to learn and be and do. I am happy and excited to know this and to step out into a whole new day…let’s go!