Endigar 796
From Courage to Change of March 4;
The slogan, “Think” always puzzled me. Wasn’t it my “stinking thinking” that got me into trouble? The meaning of this slogan remained a mystery until I heard a neighbor’s child reciting some safety rules he’d learned in school: Stop, Look, and Listen.
Before I get into trouble, before I open my mouth to react, or get lost in obsessive analysis of another person’s behavior, or worrying about the future, I can Stop. Then I can Look at what is going on and my role in it. Then I can Listen for spiritual guidance that will remind me of my options and help me find healthy words and actions.
So when something unkind is said to me, I don’t automatically have to get into a loud and vicious argument. Instead, I can take a moment to “Think.” I can Stop, Look, and Listen. Then I might be able to engage calmly in discussion or simply walk away. If I do choose to enter the argument, at least I am now making this decision consciously, rather than letting life decide for me.
Today’s Reminder
This day is a beautiful room that’s never been seen before. Let me cherish the seconds, minutes, and hours I spend here. Help me to think before I speak and pray before I act.
“The program helps me gain the freedom to make wise choices that are good for me. I choose to put that freedom to work in my life today”
~ Alateen — a day at a time
END OF QUOTE—————————————
My thinking moves on a spectrum between impulse and rumination. Between those two there is a pause turned to reflection, prayer, and ultimately, action. This thinking that happens in the middle is the place where my free will is cultivated. When I operate in isolated self-will I tend toward reactionary thinking and later retreat to a depressive paralysis. Self-will run riot is not the true expression of my free will. So the between thinking is where I want to be, as much as possible.
Daily Reprieve 
Leave a Reply