Come stand by my side where I'm going, Take my hand if I stumble and fall, It's the strength that you share when you're growing, That gives me what I need most of all. —Hoyt Axton
The bear cub was miserable. Her father, the leader of the pack, had left a month ago to find them winter shelter and had not yet returned. Everyone went on as if nothing had changed.
One evening the cub had a dream in which her father appeared and said, "Daughter, I know you grieve for me, but your burden is too heavy to carry alone. Share it with the others and let them comfort you. Sharing will only lighten your load, and if you can accept help now you will find it easier to give when others are in need."
The next morning the little cub woke with a much lighter heart. As it turns out, everyone in the pack shared the same dream. There was much hugging and crying and reaching out and healing.
We can easily lighten our loads by asking support from those who love us, knowing our turn to help will come.
What help can I ask for today?
Hearing how others have handled experiences similar to ours makes us aware that our old behaviors didn’t serve us very well. We also learn that any situation can be handled with the support of the Twelve Step fellowship.
In time we also come to appreciate what we gain by sharing with newcomers how we have survived painful, humiliating experiences. This gives them hope and a pattern to follow, similar to the one we received from the old-timers. We are also reminded of our strength to handle truly difficult experiences. We aren’t guaranteed a reprieve from them just because we are in a Twelve Step program. Thus we need the reminder occasionally as an antidote to troubled times.
Action for the Day: If a friend is troubled today, I will tap my own memory and offer what I have learned. Recalling my own troubled times will give me a measure of my growth.
***************************Daily MotivationExcerpt of The Daily Motivator
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