Compassion is ... a spirituality and a way of living and walking through life. It is the way we treat all there is in life - ourselves, our bodies, our imaginations and dreams, our neighbors, our enemies... Compassion is a spirituality as if creation mattered. It is treating all creation as holy and as divine... which is what it is. —Matthew Fox
In our search for growth, serenity, and contentment, we can start at a very practical level. Simply treat ourselves, inside and out, and everything around us in a respectful and caring way. Many men have not learned how to do that. Some of us have learned to accept abuse and pain, or to be tough and abusive.
We can learn about being in a healthy relationship, about befriending ourselves and others and all of creation. With practice, we will learn more and more about having compassion. As we do, our self-centeredness and our self-pity will fall away.
Today, I will be compassionate toward each of the details of creation, and practice acceptance both within and outside myself.
From Touchstones: A Book of Daily Meditations for Men©
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Twenty-Four Hours a Day
Keep It Simple
When we begin to take our failures non-seriously, it means we are ceasing to be afraid of them. It is of immense importance to learn to laugh at ourselves. --Katherine Mansfield
Perfectionism and its control over our lives stands seriously in the way of our growth and well-being, emotionally, spiritually, and even physically. Life's lessons come through failures probably more than successes. Through our failures we learn humility. We learn to look to others for help and guidance. We learn how to let others fail, too. We fail because we are human.
When we no longer fear failure, we are free to attempt greater feats. We dare to learn more, and life is fuller for it--not just our own lives, but the lives that we touch.
Laughter over our mistakes eases the risk of trying again. Laughter keeps us young, and the lighthearted find more pleasure in each day.
Prayer for the Day: I will fail at something I try today. I can laugh about it, though. My laughter will open the way to another try.
I Am More . . .
I am an alcoholic; I am 494 days sober.
I have a sponsor, I go to AA meetings, and I work the Steps.
This is a part of who but I am, but not all of who I am.
I am more than a recovering derelict.
I am more than my imperfections, more than my disease, more than my struggle.
I am more than my recovery and my sobriety.
I am grateful to be sober, I am proud of what I have overcome,
happy to help and know fellow drunks.
But there is much more to me than beating the blackouts
and breaking up with booze.
- The AA Grapevine, February 2012
Thought to Ponder . . .
From darkness comes light.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
SOBER = Staying Off Booze Enjoying Recovery
On your own terms
It’s your life, so be willing to be fully responsible for it. Take charge of your own destiny.
Don’t sit around hoping somebody will give you a break. Get busy and do the work that will enable you to live life fully on your own terms.
Avoid falling into the trap of blaming others for your situation. For when you assign blame to others, you are putting yourself under their control.
Instead, put yourself and your life under your own control. You know what’s best for you, so do what is necessary to make that happen.
If you could use some encouragement, give it to yourself. When there’s something you don’t know how to do, take it upon yourself to learn.
The fulfillment you seek is something you must create as a result of your own responsibility, commitment, discipline and efforts. Get focused, get busy and experience the outstanding joy of living life on your own terms.
— Ralph Marston
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