I want to dance always, to be good and not evil, and when it is all over not to have the feeling that I might have done better.
—Ruth St. Denis
Our wants in life may be simple, or they may be complex. They may yet be confused in our minds, but the clarity will come if we’re patient. God has a way of giving us an “inner tug” when a certain direction beckons. Our responsibility is to follow that tug and trust it, fully. Too often we look back on our lives with regret. What is done, is done. We learned lessons from those mistakes. Every day is a new beginning. And we can close every day with no regrets when we have followed our consciences, that “inner tug” that beckons.
The opportunities will come today. Opportunities to be good or evil. Opportunities for making choices over which we will feel good or full of regret at the day’s close. Many of our choices will bring us closer to the satisfaction, the contentment with life, that we all search for as women, as human beings. We need not fear coming to life’s close, wishing we had done more or better. Living each day in good conscience, waiting for the tug and following it, will ensure a life well lived.
My ego can block out the tug, if I let it. Or I can trust.
Quoted from the book Each Day a New Beginning.
When we turn things over to our Higher Power it doesn’t mean we are relinquished in our part in them. We can ask for a day of warm sunshine but if we bury ourselves or our head in the sand it isn’t very likely we’re going to see it. We have to line ourselves up so we are able to receive what we are asking for. If we are asking our HP to help us let go of regret or resentment we need to line ourselves up to receive that gift of letting go of those things. When we learn to actively and consciously engage our relationship with our Higher Power we learn as we do with other relationships that listening for that wisdom, for that tug that is part of the relationship.
Being open to hearing the best, healthiest, direction means paying attention. It means listening to that nudge that says open this book, or that, listen to this music or that. It means when you feel that moment of discord…recognizing that “nudge” of eh hmmm…this might not get you to where you want to be. I have had this happen as I’m listening to music. A song comes on, I like the song, but I recognize that where that music might take me in my being is not where I want to be. So I smile and turn the station.
Today I’ll listen to the nudge ;D
As I was commenting on the reading from Each Day A New Beginning I felt a nudge…do the Courage To Change Reading! So today there are two ;D
Even as a child, I had grown-up responsibilities, so it is no wonder that I grew up to be a caretaker. It seemed so comfortable, so automatic to think of others first and to give myself completely to whatever crisis was at hand without a thought for myself. When I became aware that this was not oen of my most admirable traits but was instead of form of self-destructiveess, I was horrified. I set out to wipe out all such behavior and attitudes. I was determined to become as self-incolved and uncaring as possible.
Fortunately, I failed to make such a radical change. Today, years later, I am still caretaker, and I probably always will be. But now I consider it a valued characteristic, a gift of my upbringing that can greatly enhance my life if I don’t carry it to the extreme. Althhough I no longer do things for others that they could do for themselves, I still try to be nurturing to them as well as myself. Al-Anon helps me to find some balance.
Today’s Reminder
Today I will try not to condemn parts of myself while accepting other parts. I am a composite, and I love myself best when I embrace all that I am.
“My imperfections ad failures are as much a blessing from God as my successes and my talents, and I lay them both at His feet.” Mahatma Gandhi
Reading From: Courage To Change, p. 54
Extremes are part of the dysfunction of addiction. Sometimes we’ve learned to reach to extreme’s to protect ourselves, to people please, or out of fear. Very rarely are extremes ever the best answer in living life. We can give care but we must care for ourselves to be able to do that. We can give care without robbing ourselves of serenity or others of dignity. When we care with respect for another person’s dignity and learning experiences as well respect and care for ourselves it is a good thing. We can care for no one if we do not take care and care for ourselves first.
When I am tempted to make radical changes that go to extreme’s I will remember that it may not be the character trait that is flawed, it may be that the character trait I need to work on is extremism.
