Daily Readings for Tuesday, April 7th

Meditation for the Day

When trouble comes, do not say: “Why should this happen to me?” Leave yourself out of the picture. Think of other people and their troubles and you will forget about your own. Gradually get away from yourself and you will know the consolation of unselfish service to others. After a while, it will not matter so much what happens to you. It is not so important any more, except as your experience can be used to help others who are in the same kind of trouble.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may become more unselfish. I pray that I may not be thrown off the track by letting the old selfishness creep back into my life.

From Twenty-Four Hours a Day 

Those Old Time Feelings

I still have bad days. But that’s okay. I used to have bad years.
  —Anonymous

Sometimes, the old feelings creep back in. We may feel fearful, ashamed, and hopeless. We may feel not good enough, unlovable, victimized, helpless, and resentful about it all. This is codependency, a condition some describe as soul sickness.

Many of us felt this way when we began recovery. Sometimes, we slip back into these feelings after we’ve begun recovery. Sometimes there’s a reason. An event may trigger these reactions, such as ending a relationship, stress, problems on the job, at home, or in friendships. Times of change can trigger these reactions. So can physical illness.

Sometimes, these feelings return for no reason.

A return to the old feelings doesn’t mean were back to square one in our recovery. They do not mean we’ve failed at recovery. They do not mean were in for a long, painful session of feeling badly. They just are there.

The solution is the same: practicing the basics. Some of the basics are loving and trusting our self, detachment, dealing with feelings, giving and receiving support in the recovery community, using our affirmations, and having fun.

Another basic is working the Steps. Often, working the Steps is how we become enabled and empowered to practice the other basics, such as detachment and self-love.

If the old feelings come back, know for certain there is a way out that will work.

Today, if I find myself in the dark pit of codependency, I will work a Step to help myself climb out.

From The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie

Taking Stock…the hiatus from social media and now a hiatus from the world as we know it

Who would have known or been able to even fathom we would be in the midst of a pandemic during the time when I had decided to take a hiatus from social media, namely Facebook and Instagram. So what at least at first was a break from one facet of life has become a hiatus from the world in general as we know it. A “stay-at-home” order in the state of North Carolina has meant wholesale changes in lifestyle for myself and of course, all others.

There was a period in time last week where I considered cutting short my Lenten promise not to access social media. Certainly it would have meant closer contact for one who is living on his own during this period of social isolation. But as in many events in life, I don’t think there are any coincidences and knew that the time of both my hiatus and the pandemic wasn’t an accident.

And so I now face the last week of the break from social media and yes, it has crossed my mind that perhaps I shouldn’t go back,,,at least right away. Technically, Lent ends on Maundy Thursday, but I traditionally end my break on Easter Sunday. As of right now, I’ve decided to come back to both Facebook and Instagram, but I’ll fall short of saying that’s a definite decision.

Like most of the rest of life, I’m taking it one day at a time.

David Lee