July 12

PATIENCE MONTH: DAY 12: “People will come around, sooner or later. Have patience when they don’t come, and be kind when they do.”― Sarvesh Jain

All the action steps, 4-9, are about cleaning up our messes so we can be free of the things that stand in the way of a spiritual path.

We cannot lead a spiritual, recovering life when we are filled with shame, regret, anger, rage, remorse, guilt, and victimhood. It will not happen. This is why relapse is such an issue. Addicts love to do things in as little a way as possible. There are no loopholes in this thing.

The BB talks about being fearless and thorough from the very start. It is not a practical idea since most of us do not even understand “the nature of our wrongs” for a long time. It takes a lot of years to get down to “causes and conditions” and to fully understanding our “old ideas.” All of this is written about in the steps, but little is understood in those first years.

That is why it must be an ongoing process, not a one and done thing. Healing our shit and the shit we have done to others takes patience and persistence. Our own acceptance and understanding of who we are and where we have fallen off the path take a long time. Expecting instant recovery is the greatest drawback for us. It ain’t gonna happen. There is no magic wand, nor is there a specific moment when it all clicks into place. It is requisite for us to find and practice patience and honesty all the time.