[bluidkiti]

December 22

Wisdom for Today
Much like the slaves that were brought over to this country in the belly of a ship, when I walked into the doors of the Twelve Step program, I felt like I was in a different world. I was confused and scared. My brain was still cloudy from my last binge, and I didn't know what to expect. However, unlike the slaves when I got off the boat, I was free. This new freedom terrified me. I really didn't know what to expect, and I didn't really believe that I was free. I learned quickly though that with freedom also came responsibility. There was much work to be done if I was to survive in this new world. I had to learn a new language, and I had to figure out what the rules were. Fortunately these rules were well established and written out.
At the beginning of that first meeting, I heard words being read from a book, "Rarely have we seen a person fail, who has thoroughly followed our path." Where was this path and would the journey be difficult? I had no idea. I just knew it had to be better than being chained up in that slave ship of addiction. Each step I took along the way was not easy, just simple. I mean it was not complicated. First, I had to admit that I had been a slave to addiction and didn't know how to live in freedom. Then I had to believe that the path indeed leads to a better place, a place where my brain would no longer be cloudy; and I would be able to live in freedom responsibly. Next I had to agree to stick close to the guide who would lead the way and to agree to follow His every instruction if I wanted to get to this better place safely. This path was not easy, and I even saw some people turn around and go back to the ship wanting to be back in the chains, because it was familiar and known. Do I want to go back, or am I willing to continue the journey?
Meditations for the Heart
Arriving at Step Four, the path looked treacherous. I was not sure I wanted to continue, and I knew I didn't want to go back. I looked to my guide for help. He told me to move slowly along this part of the path and to look closely at the pitfalls along the way. I could see farther up the trail that there were others who had successfully made it and negotiated this part of the journey. The look on their faces told me it was not easy, but it was worth it. So I trusted my guide and moved carefully through the difficult path. As I moved through this part of the journey, I learned that all that depressed me, all that I feared and all that I was ashamed of were powerless to harm me as long as I followed my guide. Am I ready to follow my spiritual guide to a better place?
Petitions to my Higher Power
God,
Thank You for being my guide. Grant me courage in the difficult parts of this journey, and let me pass safely through this difficult path. Let me always look forward and not look back. Help me to take each step.
Amen.