Daily Reprieve

From Courage to Change of Oct 6:

Although the crisis that brought us to Al-Anon may be past, there is always something new to learn, even after years of recovery. We change. Opportunities for spiritual growth, as well as new character defects, pop up like weeds in a newly-mown lawn, and we find ourselves turning to the Steps for a fresh look.

I experienced this one day when I noticed that I had begun to be angry much of the time. I thought that other people and situations were to blame, but I decided to concentrate on my own part of the picture. I took a written inventory of my memories, feelings, and behavior whenever I lost my serenity, and then read it aloud to someone I trust. As I read, the common thread — the exact nature of my wrongs — jumped out at me. My problem was my pride and arrogance, not my situation. The need to be right was robbing me of my serenity in all kinds of situations.

No matter how long I work the Al-Anon program, I will never cease finding new ways to apply it to my life. That is a blessing, for it means that my life will continue to get better.

Today’s Reminder

There is something new for me to learn today. I will open my mind and my heart to the lessons my Higher Power brings me.
“The important thing is not to stop questioning.” ~ Albert Einstein

END OF QUOTE—————————————

Like a gentle but bracing wind—the kind that wakes the soul without apology. It reminds us that recovery isn’t a one-time rescue but a living cycle of awareness, humility, and rediscovery. The “crisis” that brought us here may have passed, but the work of remaining teachable never ends. Every new layer of living—aging, loving, losing, forgiving—stirs up fresh sediment in the soul.

Anger is not condemned but examined. It becomes a mirror revealing the quiet arrogance that insists the world must adjust to our script. Pride, when disguised as principle, steals serenity one argument at a time. The inventory process here—writing, reading aloud, discovering the thread—is the crucible where humility is reforged. It is not shame that heals us, but truth spoken in trust.

To keep turning toward the Steps is to keep tending the soil of the self. We learn that serenity is not a permanent achievement—it’s a living ecosystem, constantly asking to be pruned, watered, and renewed.

This entry was posted on October 6, 2025 at 1:21 pm and is filed under Uncategorized with tags Addiction, Alcoholism, Courage to Change, faith, god, Journal, Life, mental-health, Personal, Recovery, Spirituality. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.