Endigar 565 ~ A Necessary Pruning
From the Daily Reflections of October 4;
. . . we know that the pains of drinking had to come before sobriety, and emotional turmoil before serenity. (Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, page 94)
I love spending time in my garden feeding and pruning my beautiful flowers. One day, as I was busily snipping away, a neighbor stopped by. She commented, “Oh! Your plants are so beautiful, it seems such a shame to cut them back.” I replied, “I know how you feel, but the excess must be removed so they can grow stronger and healthier.” Later I thought that perhaps my plants feel pain, but God and I know it’s part of the plan and I’ve seen the results. I was quickly reminded of my precious A.A. program and how we all grow through pain. I ask God to prune me when it’s time, so I can grow.
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And we return to the catalyst effect of pain. I have often thought that once we become adults, we simply do not grow without pain instigating it and being apart of the process. I suppose that may be why alcoholics tend to be stunted in their maturity. We have used alcohol to numb the pain. We achieve without the inner stability and fortitude to steward those achievements and their associated relationships. Yet I should avoid the deliberate manufacture of pain, for that is often the disease attempting to justify itself as a solution. Let life schedule the events and God take control of the results. I focus on working the tasks that are apart of recovery. When the pain comes, I work through it, or with it? This seems to be the life of spiritual empowerment. I am the plant accepting the painful pruning from Gomu(God of my understanding) who really loves this recovery nursery.
Daily Reprieve 
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