and this too shall pass

After a lovely weekend, it was time to make the three-hour drive back home. I know this drive well. I take the same familiar route almost every weekend.

I headed out west on a beautiful day. Puffy, white clouds floated through the blue sky. There was a hint of rain on the horizon ahead.

Brand new green grass waved in the rolling fields. Spring flowers were scattered everywhere -- in the fields, in the trees. It was a gorgeous spring day and a delightful drive.

I rounded a turn, dipped down into a hill, and climbed upward. Upon reaching the hill's crest, the clouds in the distance suddenly seemed uncomfortably dark, close, and foreboding.

The hint of rain showers gave way to a storm. The storm was heading my way, and I was heading its way. We would soon meet on the road.

The closer I got, the darker the clouds seemed. Bold strikes of lightning ripped through the sky. Thunder rattled my mirrors. Wind tore through the trees.

I considered taking a detour. But even if I did, I would still be stuck driving in the storm.

I considered turning around. But even if I did, the storm would have followed me.

I considered stopping. But even if I did, I would be stuck in the storm and making no progress.

So I steadily traveled on the trusted route that I knew would take me home. First, there were only a few sprinkles. But then as quick as a switch, an unforgiving torrent blasted the road.

I was nervous while driving through the storm. I was scared of the storm itself. Nature is a force best left unchallenged. I was scared of the other drivers around me. Traffic is a hazard best left untrusted.

I kept driving. The rain would start to ease, but immediately pour down again. I wondered how long this storm would last.

But slowly the lightning became less frequent, the downpour eased to harmless sprinkles, and the wind became gentle once again. The clouds brightened and thinned to reveal the beautiful blue sky hidden behind them. It had been there all along. Hidden, but there.

And once again, brand new green grass waved in the rolling fields. Spring flowers were scattered everywhere -- in the fields, in the trees. It was a gorgeous spring day and a delightful drive, again.

I realized my experience driving through the storm is very similar to weathering life's storms. There is always the instinct to turn away from the trusted road when I find myself in undesirable situations. But I know the way to go.

When weathering a storm, I must keep doing the next right thing: "And this too shall pass."

just for today

Some words of wisdom, from AlAnon:

Just for today I will try to live through this day only, and not tackle all my problems at once. I can do something for twelve hours that would appall me if I felt that I had to keep it up for a lifetime.

Just for today I will be happy. This assumes to be true what Abraham Lincoln said, that "Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be."

Just for today I will adjust myself to what is, and not try to adjust everything to my own desires. I will take my "luck" as it comes, and fit myself to it.

Just for today I will try to strengthen my mind. I will study. I will learn something useful. I will not be a mental loafer. I will read something that requires effort, thought and concentration.

Just for today I will exercise my soul in three ways: I will do somebody a good turn, and not get found out; if anybody knows of it, it will not count. I will do at least two things I don't want to do - just for exercise. I will not show anyone that my feelings are hurt; they may be hurt, but today I will not show it.

Just for today I will be agreeable. I will look as well as I can, dress becomingly, keep my voice low, be courteous, criticize not one bit. I won't find fault with anything, nor try to improve or regulate anybody but myself.

Just for today I will have a program. I may not follow it exactly but I will have it. I will save myself from two pests: hurry and indecision.

Just for today I will have a quiet half hour all by myself and relax. During this half hour, sometime, I will try to get a better perspective on my life.

Just for today I will be unafraid. Especially I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful, and to believe that as I give to the world, so the world will give to me.

I'm looking forward to this weekend. I think I can fit alot of meetings in! Maybe I can get some sleep too. I'm so tired!

For the most part I'm just grateful to be sober, and to have experienced peace today.

I sense that a coworker of mine hates me. She mistrained me a few times over the past week, the most recent time being blatantly intentional. She won't look at me or talk to me -- even when I say, "Good morning". At first, I was tempted to get upset and offended. But now, all I can see is the pain and fear inside of her. I can't feel angry or hurt when I see that someone is suffering. I need to grow and become helpful.

At the same time, I am responsible for my own serenity. I cannot allow the actions of other people to affect my serenity, whether for better or for worse. My serenity must be based on something immovable and timeless -- something that never changes. From that point, life can crash or fly ... but serenity would always remain balanced.

And now I'm just typing because I'm exhausted and can't think of anything else to say. It's time for bed ...


Today, I'm especially grateful for ...

• being 197 days sober (in dedication to an AA buddy, those would be "197 DAMN days" sober!)
  
• Alcoholics Anonymous and AlAnon
• going to my favorite AA meeting tonight: "If newcomers could see no joy or fun in our existence, they wouldn't want it." This group makes people want it!
• the wisdom and generosity of other recovering alcoholics
  
• prayer
  
• finding a way to accept a few initially unwanted circumstances and find gratitude in them
• my loving and supportive family
• my adorable dog
• my coworkers ... even the troubled ones
• God, because He makes serenity and peace possible
  

"Let it go!"

JJ had an amazing post on her blog today that was exactly what I needed to read. [Click Here] What an awesome lady. Give her a visit!

Clean and Sober, Sober and CLEAN!

I'm so incredibly grateful. After two years of living in a room stacked wall to wall with clutter, it is now CLEAN!

During this process, I found many artifacts of my drinking. Although I feel ashamed to have ever fallen into that severe state of alcoholic living, I'm grateful to be free from it now.

I also found some useful things too! I found an old cell phone that I couldn't use -- but my brother could use it. His old phone broke. I found an extended warranty that I had purchased for a camcorder, which broke last Christmas. I also found many nice things to donate to chairity.

I found some "Before" pics that I took in July 2005 -- a time when I was drinking heavily. I think at the time I was having a friendly argument with an online friend over which one of us had the messiest room ... or something like that. Maybe I was just drunk.



Disgusting, eh?

And here is the same room today, now that I'm sober:


(Yes, I kind of over-decorate) :P

I think my state of mind has improved just as much as the room has!

In addition to getting everything nice and clean, yesterday was my parents' 34th wedding anniversary. For the first time in my life, I prepared ahead of time and got them a nice gift. I've simply never had the presence of mind to do that before. I'm grateful to finally be able celebrate with them :)


Today, I'm grateful for ...

• being 80 days sober
• finally getting everything clean
• finally being able to give my parents something for their anniversary
• my sweet boyfriend, who got to meet my whole family yesterday
• my awesome family and darling puppy
• God, who led me through the Valley of the Shadow of Filth ...

Nature's "Welcome"

I just got back home from a walk on a park nature trail. There is something about nature trails that really attracts me like nothing else does. The Bible says that God made Adam (the first human) out of dirt, "breathed" life into him, and then placed him into a garden. Maybe that's why I feel a sense of refreshment from nature.

Walking into the woods, I'm greeted by the most gentle of all living things: towering trees, exquisite plantlife, and the fluting tunes of songbirds. A gentle breeze strokes the trees, rustling the leaves in a quiet chorus. Sunshine and shadow dance on the forest floor in a play of wind and leaves. The calm scents of soil and fresh rain mingle as the breeze wraps me in a sweet embrace.

Looking up at the towering trees, I am reminded of how little I am. Yet, I am welcome here. Trekking along the forest trail, I realize that it does not matter "who I am" or "what I've done". I simply AM. And that's all that matters here.

The tall trees sway in the wind. The sun moves behind a cloud, casting the trail into darkness. The thought of a storm comes to mind, and I wonder how the trees survive them. Some trees are twisted. Some are missing limbs. Some are infested with insects. Some have been knocked over. And some are completely hollow -- retaining only an outer shell of a trunk -- yet still live.

Swaying softly in the wind, the gentle giants have seen their fair share of tribulation. Yet they continue to sway, to rustle their leaves, forever reaching upwards in a hopeful bid to caress the sky.

And they welcome me.

Toolbox Additions

I used to work for a hardware company. They sold all kinds of tools and gadgets that people needed in order to complete their handiwork.

It was always surprising to me how many different kinds and varieties of tools there were. Looking at a shelf-full of drill bits, they all looked the same to me. But come to find out, each bit had a different purpose for a different type of job -- and they were generally not interchangeable. Each job seems to require a different set of tools.

In my attempt to "look on the bright side" the other day, I thought of these tools and their varying purposes. It seems that when I experience some sort of trauma in my life, I acquire something useful from that experience -- much like acquiring a new "tool".

From every painful situation, I gain two things: compassion and experience. Compassion is the motivator that leads me to help others. Experience is the tool I have to complete my work.

Without compassion, I would have no desire to help others. Without experience, I would have no ability to help others. Both are required to live a meaningful life.

I often find myself wishing I could help someone, but having no idea how. My life experience up to this point has been quite sheltered. I usually have the compassion to help others, but not necessarily the experience. It makes me feel so aggravatingly useless.

So one way to view my present difficulties is this: I'm gaining experience so that I can be USEFUL. At the end of this situation, I will have a new "tool" for my toolbox -- and one day, I will have the ability to help someone.

So today, I am thankful for:

• being an alcoholic
• being cheated on and abandoned in a relationship
• being overwhelmed with depression
• feeling worthless
• hating myself
  
• being unemployed
• feeling out of place
  
• worrying about the future

... because I will someday be useful to others in those situations.


But I'm also thankful for:

• being 49 days sober
• my loving, supportive family and adorable puppy
• my awesome AA friends, online and offline
• the program of AA
  
• the beautiful day, full of possibility and potential
• the loving grace of God, which will see me through to the end

... because without these wonderful gifts, I would not make it through this day.

Running on Empty

The fresh air, crowned with a beautiful sapphire sky, beckoned my presence at the park today. I had not been running for a long time.

I did a run/walk on the park's .5-mile track, then on the .75-mile trail. Boy, I am exhausted! I feel like I got hit by a bus! To top it off, the whole run was a bit frustrating.

Years ago, I ran every day. I even ran a 10K (6.2 miles) as part of a black belt exam, and a 5K (3.1 miles) for fun with an old boyfriend for his church. Now I struggle with 1.25 miles as if it were a full marathon.

So the meager run today was frustrating. All I could think about was "how easy this used to be". But now that I'm home and refreshed, I see where I went wrong!

When I ran years ago, I would pray while I ran. When my legs hurt, I would thank God that my legs could carry me for a run, because there are people in this world who can't stand up, let alone run. When I could hardly breathe, I would thank God that I could breathe without the aid of machines, because there are people in this world who can't breathe without machines. I never felt frustrated during those runs, but instead grateful.

And this is where I went wrong today: I forgot to be grateful! I was so preoccupied with "poor me" that I didn't acknowledge the gifts that God had already given. If I had focused on God's gifts rather than on my shortcomings, the run would have been so much more enjoyable.

My lesson today: God's gifts are everywhere and come in all forms. I need to learn to thank God for those gifts ... even when I don't "feel" them yet.

Let the Flowers Bloom

When I was a little girl, I loved flowers -- especially big beautiful flowers with nice fragrances. I loved to walk up to the prettiest bloom, and smell of its soft petals.

One time when I was very little, my mother planted some pretty flowering plants. But they were not ready to bloom yet. All of the stalks were crowned with little green buds. I asked why the flowers had not come out, and mom said it would take some time for the buds to bloom into flowers.

I waited for a few minutes, assuming that I could watch the buds bloom. But they never bloomed. They never grew or even moved! This was quite disconcerting for a child of my age. I soon grew restless and went away for a bit to play with some toys.

When I came back to the flowers later, the buds still had not bloomed. Letting out a frustrated sigh, my fingers impatiently caressed one of the soft green buds. I examined it closely. I could see the gentle creases where the green bud would separate for the flower to bloom.

Then another bud nearby caught my attention. A thin slice of pink peeked out from the bud. These flowers were going to be pink! My entire soul danced with giddiness -- I simply could not wait for the flowers to bloom!

Carefully stroking the peeking pink petal, the thought came to me: Perhaps I could help the flower to bloom. The poor flower wants to come out. Maybe it just needs some help getting out of that green bud. Yes! That is it!

I held my breath and carefully pulled apart the green bud so that the flower could come out. To my consternation, the flower inside was ugly and pitiful! I did not understand what was wrong with it.

I asked mom what was wrong with the flower. She explained that we have to wait for the flowers to open by themselves.

I did not like that answer. From my perspective, I had waited long enough for that flower to bloom. I thought I was helping it when I pulled the bud apart.

But being so young, it did not take long for me to find other distractions to fill my thoughts. I soon forgot about the flowers.

Many naptimes and playtimes later, I was delighted to see big beautiful pink flowers. When I smelled of their soft, fragrant petals, I noticed the dead bud that my tiny fingers had pried open long ago.

I felt silly for trying to force that flower to bloom. The other flowers had managed to bloom much better by themselves! It took time, yes -- but it was well worth it. I never pried apart another bud again.

Sometimes today, I look at situations in my life in the same way. I see many "buds" that I would like to hurry along. And sometimes I try to force them to open.

By nature, I am incredulous to the notion that my "assistance" can ruin a budding opportunity. But all of my unwanted circumstances today are the result of my "assistance" in past situations.

Just as flowers must blossom in their own time, God's work in my life must blossom in its own time. If I force it, good opportunities are reduced to nothing more than destroyed buds.

I need to step back ... and allow the buds to blossom on their own.

"God, Grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
and the Wisdom to know the difference. Amen."

Listen ... and smile

There's no better place to be than sitting on the swing during a warm and sunny day, the gentle breeze stirring soft whispers through the leaves in the towering trees, as sunshine and shadow dance in the grass below. Lightly rocking in the swing with my book, I stop to enjoy the chorus of nature swirling around me.

Some people imagine God's voice sounding loud and thunderous. I imagine it being soft and subtle, the gentlest sound in the world, one that we all hear every day but rarely notice. As the wind nestles the leaves in the trees, what faint whispers pass our ears and our hearts unnoticed?

"An Aspiration", by Katherine Collins

Others may be art glass of rainbow hue;
I choose to be a windowpane
For the sun to shine through.

A clear pane,
A clear pane is what I would be
Unconcerned with temperament
And personality.

I would have Love shine through me
So that my friends would say
Not, "What a lovely pane of glass,"
But, "What a lovely day!"

(What a great goal to have!)

Let it Go

As children bring thier broken toys
With tears for us to mend,
I brought my broken dreams to God
Because He was my friend.

But instead of leaving Him
In peace to work alone,
I hung around and tried to help
With ways that were my own.

At last I snatched them back and cried,
"How can you be so slow?"
"My child," He said, "What could I do?
You never let them go."

-Unknown

"If I Had My Life to Live Over", by Erma Bombeck

I would have talked less and listened more. I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth. I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed. I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains. I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life. I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle. When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner."

There would have been more "I love you's".. more "I'm sorry's"... but mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute...look at it and really see it...live it...and never give it back.

Stop sweating the small stuff. Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what. Instead, let's cherish the relationships we have with those who Do love us. Let's think about what God HAS blessed us with.

And what we are doing each day to promote ourselves mentally, physically, emotionally, as well as spiritually. Life is too short to let it pass you by. We only have one shot at this and then it's gone.

In memory of Erma Bombeck. (Note: Erma Bombeck needed an organ transplant, and even though she could have been moved to the head of the waiting list, due to her prominence and wealth [like Mickey Mantle], she refused to do such, and subsequently, died from organ failure.)

"A Penny", Author Unknown

Several years ago, a friend of mine and her husband were invited to spend the weekend at the husband's employer's home. My friend, Arlene, was nervous about the weekend. The boss was very wealthy, with a fine home on the waterway, and cars costing more than her house.

The first day and evening went well, and Arlene was delighted to have this rare glimpse into how the very wealthy live. The husband's employer was quite generous as a host, and took them to the finest restaurants. Arlene knew she would never have the opportunity to indulge in this kind of extravagance again, so was enjoying herself immensely.

As the three of them were about to enter an exclusive restaurant that evening, the boss was walking slightly ahead of Arlene and her husband.

He stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement for a long, silent moment. Arlene wondered if she was supposed to pass him. There was nothing on the ground except a single darkened penny that someone had dropped, and a few cigarette butts.

Still silent, the man reached down and picked up the penny. He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had found a great treasure. How absurd! What need did this man have for a single penny? Why would he even take the time to stop and pick it up? Throughout dinner, the entire scene nagged at her.

Finally, she could stand it no longer. She causally mentioned that her daughter once had a coin collection, and asked if the penny he had found had been of some value.

A smile crept across the man's face as he reached into his pocket for the penny and held it out for her to see. She had seen many pennies before! What was the point of this?

"Look at it." He said. "Read what it says."

She read the words "United States of America."

"No, not that; read further."

"One cent?"

"No, keep reading."

"In God we Trust?"

"Yes!"

"And?"

"And if I trust in God, the name of God is holy, even on a coin. Whenever I find a coin I see that inscription. It is written on every single United States coin, but we never seem to notice it! God drops a message right in front of me telling me to trust Him? Who am I to pass it by? When I see a coin, I pray, I stop to see if my trust IS in God at that moment. I pick the coin up as a response to God; that I do trust in Him. For a short time, at least, I cherish it as if it were gold. I think it is God's way of starting a conversation with me. Lucky for me, God is patient and pennies are plentiful!

Then I was out shopping today, I found a penny on the sidewalk. I stopped and picked it up, and realized that I had been worrying and fretting in my mind about things I cannot change. I read the words, "In God We Trust," and had to laugh. Yes, God, I get the message. It seems that I have been finding an inordinate number of pennies in the last few months, but then, pennies are plentiful!

And, God is patient...


From http://inspirationalstories.com/11/1144.html

Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Saint Francis of Assisi wrote this prayer in the 13th century.

But I think it's more than a prayer -- it's also an attitude and a way of overcoming our own pain, depression, hopelessness, and anxiety. I don't have to feel happy to make others feel happy. I don't have to feel hopeful to make others feel hopeful. But when I try to make others feel happy and hopeful, I start to feel happy and hopeful too. The difficult part is remembering to try even when I'm "not feeling it". I'm the worst of the worst when it comes to that.

The striking mystery is that when we are genuinely unable to find hope for ourselves, we are somehow miraculously able to find hope for others.

The Promises of Alcohol Addiction

In order for this joke to make sense, you would need to be familiar with the Promises of working the Twelve Steps from the Big Book. The "Promises" presented here are the opposite -- for people who continue to drink. (This is intended as a joke. But how true it is!)


The Promises of Alcohol Addiction

If we are casual with this phase of our development, we will be drunk before we are halfway through.

We are going to know a new imprisonment and a new misery.

We will relive the past and won't be able to shut the door on it.

We will comprehend the word CONFLICT and we will know PAIN.

No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we'll sink even lower.

That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will deepen.

We will gain interest in selfish things and lose interest in our fellows.

Self esteem will slip away.

Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will SUCK.

Fear of people, and of economic insecurity will multiply.

We will intuitively know how to run from situations which never used to bother us.

We will suddenly realize that God would never have done to us what we are doing to ourselves.

Are these extravagant promises? We think not! They are being fulfilled among those of us who are still drinking -- sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly.

They will ALWAYS materialize, IF WE DRINK FOR THEM.

Guaranteed.

From http://www.recoverylane.com

"The Way Things Seem", Author Unknown

The story is told of a king in Africa who had a close friend with whom he grew up. The friend had a habit of looking at every situation that ever occurred in his life (positive or negative) and remarking, "This is good!"

One day the king and his friend were out on a hunting expedition. The friend would load and prepare the guns for the king. The friend had apparently done something wrong in preparing one of the guns, for after taking the gun from his friend, the king fired it and his thumb was blown off.

Examining the situation, the friend remarked as usual, "This is good!"

To which the king replied, "No, this is not good!" and proceeded to send his friend to jail.

About a year later, the king was hunting in an area that he should have known to stay clear of. Cannibals captured him and took them to their village. They tied his hands, stacked some wood, set up a stake and bound him to the stake. As they came near to set fire to the wood, they noticed that the king was missing a thumb. Being superstitious, they never ate anyone that was less than whole. So untying the king, they sent him on his way.

As he returned home, he was reminded of the event that had taken his thumb and felt remorse for his treatment of his friend. He went immediately to the jail to speak with his friend. "You were right," he said, "it was good that my thumb was blown off." And he proceeded to tell the friend all that had just happened. "And so I am very sorry for sending you to jail for so long. It was bad for me to do this."

"No," his friend replied, "This is good!"

"What do you mean, 'This is good'? How could it be good that I sent my friend to jail for a year?"

"If I had not been in jail, I would have been with you."

Lesson to me:

All things painful and joyous -- even our mistakes -- can end up working out for our benefit. Can I learn to adopt a "This is good!" attitude toward my mistakes and hard times?

"Lessons from an Oyster", Author Unknown

There once was an oyster
Whose story I tell,
Who found that some sand
Had got into his shell.

It was only a grain,
but it gave him great pain.
For oysters have feelings
Although they're so plain.

Now, did he berate
the harsh workings of fate
That had brought him
To such a deplorable state?

Did he curse at the government,
Cry for election,
And claim that the sea should
Have given him protection?

'No,' he said to himself
As he lay on a shell,
Since I cannot remove it,
I shall try to improve it.

Now the years have rolled around,
As the years always do,
And he came to his ultimate
Destiny ­stew.

And the small grain of sand
That had bothered him so
Was a beautiful pearl
All richly aglow.

Now the tale has a moral,
for isn't it grand
What an oyster can do
With a morsel of sand?

What couldn't we do
If we'd only begin
With some of the things
That get under our skin.

"I am There", by James Dillet Freeman

Do you need Me ?
I am there.

You cannot see Me, yet I am the light you see by.
You cannot hear Me, yet I speak through your voice.
You cannot feel Me, yet I am the power at work in your hands.

I am at work, though you do not understand My ways.
I am at work, though you do not understand My works.
I am not strange visions. I am not mysteries.

Only in absolute stillness, beyond self, can you know Me
as I AM, and then but as a feeling and a faith.

Yet I am here. Yet I hear. Yet I answer.
When you need ME, I am there.
Even if you deny Me, I am there.
Even when you feel most alone, I am there.
Even in your fears, I am there.
Even in your pain, I am there.

I am there when you pray and when you do not pray.
I am in you, and you are in Me.
Only in your mind can you feel separate from Me, for
only in your mind are the mists of "yours" and "mine".
Yet only with your mind can you know Me and experience Me.

Empty your heart of empty fears.
When you get yourself out of the way, I am there.
You can of yourself do nothing, but I can do all.
And I AM in all.

Though you may not see the good, good is there, for
I am there. I am there because I have to be, because I AM.

Only in Me does the world have meaning; only out of Me does the world take form; only because of ME does the world go forward.
I am the law on which the movement of the stars and the growth of living cells are founded.

I am the love that is the law's fulfilling. I am assurance.
I am peace. I am oneness. I am the law that you can live by.
I am the love that you can cling to. I am your assurance.
I am your peace. I am ONE with you. I am.

Though you fail to find ME, I do not fail you.
Though your faith in Me is unsure, My faith in you never
wavers, because I know you, because I love you.

Beloved, I AM there.

"Footprints", by Mary Stevenson

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one belonging to him, and the other to the LORD.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life. This really bothered him and he questioned the LORD about it:

"LORD, you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me."

The LORD replied:

"My child, my precious child, I love you and I would never leave you.
During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."

Promises of Working the 12 Steps

From the Big Book (p. 83-84):

If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are half way through.


We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness.


We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.


We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace.


No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others.


That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear.


We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows.


Self-seeking will slip away.


Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change.


Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us.


We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.


We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.


Are these extravagant promises? We think not. They are being fulfilled among us-sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them.

[Find More "Promises of Recovery" Here]