Daily Motivation 6-20-11

Monday, June 20, 2011

Today's Gift

 

Life guarantees a chance - not a fair shake.
--Bernie Y.

 

Life is not fair. Most of us know that, but few of us accept it. Something in us often clings to the idea that ultimately, the gifts will all be evenly divided. Mostly we want to be paid back for the injustices of the past. Many of us expect - no, demand - redress from fate. We think life should "make it up" to us somehow. That's why it's so hard for us to go on discovering, again and again, what we already know: Life is not fair.

 

The good job that should have been ours, the accident that crippled a loved one, unwanted childlessness - these things are not fair. But life is like soil, not like seed. The chance of a harvest is there, but only if we plant the seed. And even then we may not get the harvest we expected or wished for - not on our own timetable. It is an act of faith, and of great courage, to keep on sowing seeds when we don't know what we're going to get. But it's the only chance we have. We need to stop expecting the soil to provide the seed.

 

Today, I will be grateful to be alive. This day offers a chance for a fuller life, and I will accept what comes of my efforts.

 

You are reading from the book:

Days of Healing, Days of Joy by Earnie Larsen and Carol Larsen Hegarty

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Twenty-Four Hours a Day

Keep It Simple

Each day provides its own gifts. ---Ruth D. Freedman
Life is full of wonderful gifts. Recovery is life's greatest gift to us. If we're not excited about being sober, we need to check ourselves. Are we keeping something secret? Is there a sadness we need to talk about? Are we stuffing anger? These things eat away at our excitement for life.

Many addicts never get the gift of recovery. Those of us in recovery are special. We've been given a new life. There will be hard times. But the joy of getting a second chance will be stronger. Am I grateful that I've been given recovery?

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, help me see recovery as a gift. I deserve this gift because I'm human. Help me to always accept this gift.

Action for the Day: At the end of the day, I'll list three gifts that this day has given me.

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One Day At A Time

Easy Does It
Sitting quietly for 15 or 20 minutes before starting each day's activities
helps us set out in a relaxed, orderly frame of mind.
Some of us use specific methods of prayer or meditation which we have found
particularly well suited to this purpose.
And maybe several times during a hectic day, we manage to sit undisturbed,
with eyes closed, for a five-minute break, then resume work refreshed.
- Living Sober, p.45

Thought to Ponder . . .
While it isn't always easy, if I keep it simple, it works.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
O D A A T = One Day At A Time.

 

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Daily Motivation

This beautiful day

This is no ordinary day. It’s unique, it’s special, and there’s never been another one like it.

This day, filled with new possibilities, will never come again. Truly it is a treasure you’ve been fortunate enough to receive, and you can do with it what you wish.

You can choose to embrace this day’s unique value and create even more value with it. You can decide to stand up, step forward and live this day with all the richness and joy you can imagine.

All sorts of fortunate circumstances have come together to place you in this unique and beautiful day. Now is your opportunity to make the most of that good fortune.

For each difficult challenge, there are a thousand positive possibilities. From every disappointment, come new opportunities for meaningful joy.

Open yourself to the beauty of life that is all around you right now, on this very day. This is a beautiful day, and it is yours right now to live.

— Ralph Marston